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Post by iamasianbatgirl on Feb 20, 2015 10:38:27 GMT -5
Hey guys! I'm working on an article discussing character interpretation and canon in comics. Superhero comics are unique in that their long running characters have had a multitude of interpretations throughout the years. They're constantly evolving (or arguably devolving) with each creative team. In the larger scheme of things, there is no right and wrong considering they're all fictional characters and yet we all have an emotional stake with our favourites. From nitpicks to outright table flips, I have a basic outline of three factors that have a hand in making or breaking a character or run on a character for me: physical traits (something about the artist's rendition of a character that is off), historical retconning (something from their fictional backgrounds that was changed), and finally OOC or Out of Character actions/random personality traits that weren't there before.
I hope that this article will spawn some great discussions and if you guys have any other make or break factors for your faves and/or examples, I'd love to hear them!
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Post by lennyreid on Feb 20, 2015 11:13:41 GMT -5
Great topic!
When creators cynically try to fit characters in to whatever fashion is popular at the time of publication. I say cynically because it can work if it makes sense. Burnside Batgirl is an example of it working - in my eyes - although I can see why people might be irked by it. It works if the character fits the mould, and in Batgirl's case her arch was heading towards less responsibility and interacting more with her peers.
Something like the latest Klarion or Joker's Daughter are examples of it not really working lately.
Tacked on to that point could be the sudden shift in tone to fit a demographic. The latest Constantine run disappointed me hugely as it moved away from being a very grim and morally dubious book (in a good way) to being a PG13 Magic story about redemption with occasional references to a dark past. Everything about the character had stayed but it was like Constantine had been dropped in to a cartoon. I'm aware that this was necessary to fit the tone of the New 52 and that Hellblazer had more freedom as a Vertigo title.
Just realised that is all DC.
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bpp
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Posts: 74 
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Post by bpp on Feb 20, 2015 18:33:37 GMT -5
Superhero comics are unique in that their long running characters have had a multitude of interpretations throughout the years. I think you'll find that is not really true. A great deal of non-superhero characters have had multiple interpretations throughout the years - Before the rise of creator owned characters all genres had characters who would have revolving production teams. Dan Dare, Prince Valiant, Judge Dredd, The MetaBaron, Flash Gordon, Buck Rodgers, Rogue Trooper, Miss Fury, Gasoline Alley, The Rocketeer, Dylan Dog, hell even Little Nemo has now obtained a multitude of interpretations. British 'kids' comics in particular had a history of churning creative teams though established characters, often sending writers and artists off to different 'sister' publications and letting others take over the strip, often radically changing just about everything in it save the characters name. That, of course, shouldn't affect your project, although it might give it some more angles to explore. |
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Post by iamasianbatgirl on Feb 20, 2015 20:46:21 GMT -5
Superhero comics are unique in that their long running characters have had a multitude of interpretations throughout the years. I think you'll find that is not really true. A great deal of non-superhero characters have had multiple interpretations throughout the years - Before the rise of creator owned characters all genres had characters who would have revolving production teams. Dan Dare, Prince Valiant, Judge Dredd, The MetaBaron, Flash Gordon, Buck Rodgers, Rogue Trooper, Miss Fury, Gasoline Alley, The Rocketeer, Dylan Dog, hell even Little Nemo has now obtained a multitude of interpretations. British 'kids' comics in particular had a history of churning creative teams though established characters, often sending writers and artists off to different 'sister' publications and letting others take over the strip, often radically changing just about everything in it save the characters name. That, of course, shouldn't affect your project, although it might give it some more angles to explore. That's very true. There's a prevalent iconic status concerning the superhero genre that makes it a little different especially since the rise of the blockbuster movie interpretations and the television adaptions. I know many of the examples you used have their own film/tv adaptions as well but the superhero genre itself seems to be becoming a genre of its own in those other mediums. Still, I do want this discussion to expand. My article is just a small introduction in what I hope will be a series of discussions which will each center on different iconic character from Batman to Archie to Judge Dredd etc. I want to put it out there to fellow contributors and listeners and whoever else wants to participate. Why do they love that character, what are the most important traits to them that need to be constant in most interpretations of that character, what are their favourite and least favourite story arcs etc. I just want to put it out for superhero comics first as it is just as broad as it is narrow to approach (if that makes any sense). |
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zakunick
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Posts: 61
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Post by zakunick on Feb 22, 2015 18:20:39 GMT -5
Not leaving out critical life events is always nice. But if the character at least acts like they have I'm the past and 'feels' right, the omission of details can be forgiven.
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