My recent aquistition of a "Pimp Daddy Destro" has really refueled my interest in GI Joe. Even with the crappy 25th figures! The funny thing was I was chatting with someone about my review of PDD, and we were talking about his style and my perception of him. We seemed to be on the same page until it came to his voice. I said I imagined his voice as something between Richard Simmons and Carson Kressly (From Queer Eye for the Straight Guy)...Flamboyant, Hollywood-esque and giving the perception he is gay (I came to this by the fact that my perception of him is as a socialite and hanging with Hollywood Jet setters) I imagine his mannerisms like the animated version of "Cruella Deville" from Disney's "101 Dalmations". Wildly marching around, swinging his arms, being loud in not only his voice, but his mannerisms! That when I realized our common perception of him matched as far as clothing, job and background, but not as far as personality was concerned!

My Friend was seeing him as having a voice of Issac HAyes and the demeanor of Lawerence Fisburne in "Deep Cover". Moody, Broody and deadly serious!

This got me to thinking...one of the reasons why I hated the Cartoon was it's portrayal of Cobra Commander. Whiney, sniveling, weak. High pitched unrealistic voice and behavior. How could a guy like that build the ultimate terrorist Organization? Then it got me to thinking....could someone with a voice of Richard Simmons and dressing like Liberace be taken serious? How could someone who could be perceived as weak due to his mannerisms create an empire of vice. Was I making the wrong assumption about how to portray this character?

The I thought....Why not? The first "Gay" villan! (Well, he's not gay, but he acts in what has been typically used as stereotypical "Gay" behavior....loud, boisterous, flamboyant, etc...) He is Dangerous because he can sit there and be telling you "Babe, we're fine....we're still friends......(with his wrist bent at 90 degrees reminding you of Nathan Lane in "the BirdCage") " then in a flash of silver reach out and cut your throat with a straight razorhe had in his palm...and never quit smiling! Then sit back and drink Merlot as you bleed out on his zebraskin couch.

I like this character, because I've created what I think "The Joker" was supposed to be like in "Batman"...unpredictable and lethal, but never geting away from his Jocular demeanor!

A lot of people pass on PDD because of his outlandish and unrealistic attire. He doesn't "fit" in their JoeVerse..I can understand that! I saw intergrating him into the JoeVerse as a Challenge...and what I've come up with give me a Character that can inject comedy into a scene, but can also interact with Destro and have a Family loyalty issue going on.....there is a dynamic there that will challenge what we see as stereotypical!

You'll see more of him in "Enemy of My Enemy 3!'...coming soon!



Let me throw out a few question you can answer if you want...you don't have to answer all of them...answer ones that hit you personally.....or just comment on what others have said...

1. ) Is there a character that "speaks to" you?

2. ) Is there a character you have felt "challenged" to add to your JoeVerse and came up with what you think is a valid way to intergrate him?

3. ) Could you see a character that has passive, flamboyant behavior one minute and lethal the next as being legit?