Moderators, I realize this might fit more easily into the Creativity section, but since I won't be able to share the results of my creativity for several years, I think the debate belongs here. Please say that you agree.



I have spent several months planning an epic dio series. So far, it appears that it will be broken up into four “seasons” of ten episodes each, for a total of forty episodes. The catch, as I have noted before, is that while living in Africa, I lack the equipment I’d require to photograph the stories I want to tell, added to which I also lack the space to build the sets; there’s also the problem of availability of whichever figures, accessories, playsets and vehicles I might impulsively decide I need.

I won’t be living in the States anytime soon. It might be years before I get to tell these stories of mine. Hell, by the time those years have passed, who knows whether I’ll even want to tell these stories anymore?

Still, planning the details of these stories has kept me occupied off and on since August 2009, so I’ll always be grateful, whether I get to tell the stories or not…

Anyhoo, to the point of this post:

My stories will not just concern G.I. Joe characters, but characters from nearly every comic book, TV show, movie and novel I’ve enjoyed since I was nine years old. However, I have nothing much in the way of respect or regard or affection for the established continuity in the various properties I plan to exploit; I will change many characteristics of even the most beloved characters. (Snake Eyes = the secret lovechild of Brainy Smurf and Sunny Gummi. Just kidding.)

Indeed, I plan to change so many things about so many characters, that it has occurred to me that perhaps I shouldn’t even use the character names. Perhaps it would be better to take a Planetary/League of Extraordinary Gentlemen approach, whereby I create new characters who are thinly-veiled tributes to the original characters.

My question, at long last, is this:

Is it foolish to create a cool, semi-original character to represent, say, the Incredible Hulk (now a chain-smoking bisexual in an on-and-off relationship with the Wonder Twins; just kidding), when the toy one must use in the photos for the story in question must by necessity utilize an action figure that doesn’t look sort of like a thinly-veiled version of Hulk, but instead the actual Incredible Hulk? (Keep in mind that I am not much of a customizer, so it’s not like I can paint Hulk purple or something.)

Put more simply:

Should I make whichever changes I desire to decades-old characters, or should I instead create thinly-veiled versions of those characters, even though I can’t make their appearances thinly-veiled?

Thanks,

Monte

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Ha ha, re: the note to moderators:

I cross-posted this at Joe Battlelines; it was directed at the JBL mods. Of course, the mods here at JoeDios should feel free to move this thread, too...

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Well I'm still putting my dio into works too Monte, I don't believe that theres no problem with madifying the charcaters around.

I personally love the idea, Snake Eyes in my verse' isn't even a ninja!

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This is war, survival is your responsibility.

When I first read this I thought it said "Planned Divorce"

What I've seen a lot of Dio-Storiers do is to have a biography section where they can explain who the characters are. There is no rule that says when you make your own story that you have to follow the established character profiles, so if you want Snake Eyes to be a chatty auto mechanic, go for it. Call them by different names if you want, it's your verse. Call Snake Eyes "Box Cars" similar name so you know who he is, but he's then your own character. Leatherneack can be Devil Dog, Scarlett can be Dorothy, and Duke can be Pilgrim.

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The United States will conquer Terrorism with the help of God and a few Marines.

Some people, when trying to avoid thinking about those things that cause them pain, turn to drink, or perhaps food, or drugs... I turn not to any of those... I collect action figures, turning my mind to the hunt, so that I might find a mote of peace... Over the years, I've found that alcoholism is much more socially acceptable by far.

[QUOTE=Otto the Otter]When I first read this I thought it said "Planned Divorce"

Holy s*#t, so did I! LOL! Monte, either way you are using creativity and inspiring others, which is a good thing. Utilizing canon for characters and diverging from there is a challenge unto itself. Simply appropriating characters for you own tale, with new backgrounds for these characters is admirable and challenging too. Devil's advocate aside, I think the folks here are the most receptive to vastly different uses for established characters, so I say do what you want in the interest of art.

P.S.-please don't get divorced

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Oh, it's all right. I'm sure that we can handle this situation maturely, just like the responsible adults that we are. Isn't that right, Mr... Poopy Pants?

I think if someone is doing a serious dio story they should stick to official canon, less confusion, more accessibility. But if you're going for comedy, anything goes.

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I can agree with you to an extent.........however, if one is tweaking things to put their own definition on it, then by all means be creative!

For instance, Flint and I have spent nearly 30 years honing our Joeverse by utilizing canon from the toon and comic while putting our own personal touch on it. We research the plausibility of things just so that it doesn't seem *too outlandish*.....but we make it our own.


As long as you can make it believable, then let those creative juices flow!!!

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Non illigitamus carborundum~Vos mos non effrego mihi

Coming soon: 'JoeSpecialOps'

I think creativity is great, but it can be tough on the reader sometimes. You expect characters to act a certain way. Creating characters helps; I mean a Snake Eyes head on a Mindbender body comes off very far from Commando/Ninja. To me.

But steel yourself up for heavy criticism. A lot of people just can't accept that Storm Shadow isn't a badass ninja or that Scooby Doo (?!) could get the slip on Zartan. Really, now that I think of it, the true challenge will be scale. Joes are mostly 3 3/4" while Sigma 6 might be their genetically enhanced brethren? Superhero figures seem to be midscale, except for some of the newer ones. And cartoon characters like Smurfs (you really gonna use Smurfs?) are usually pretty small. Which is fine for Smurfs, but you get the idea.

how many smurfs does it take to make gold?

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Oh, it's all right. I'm sure that we can handle this situation maturely, just like the responsible adults that we are. Isn't that right, Mr... Poopy Pants?