#(Rui cameo guys. look at him go)

[kawaakari-orchestra]

Main Street: Maki, Reishi [1]

🦋: Woah, look over there! That guy's flying drones on the street! Is that allowed?!

🌸: I don't see why it wouldn't be, provided the machines don't hurt anyone. Is that some kind of public performance, I wonder? Hehe. How curious.

🦋: Right! You're interested in theatre and things like this, aren't you?

🌸: As much as a regular person would be, I guess. Why?

🦋: Huh? But you mentioned you liked musicals before...

🌸: Ah, it appears to be a misunderstanding... Allow me to explain.

🌸: I find the workmanship and storytelling skills that go into producing the musical. Indeed, that requires quite a keen music sense...

🌸: However, I'm not so fond of the actual "acting" part of the medium. More often than not, actor's creative decisions and deviations from the script end up distracting rather than interesting me...

🌸: Not to mention the actor's appearances, stage decoration and costumes often appear to be quite... Lacking, compared to what I have imagined them to be.

🌸: So no, I'm not a huge fan of theatre as a whole. My apologies.

🦋: I see!... That's an interesting point of view. I doubt I'd be able to listen to a musical without zoning out!

🌸: Hehe. To each their own, I suppose.

🌸: Think of it that way: it's actually quite cheaper to purchase a soundtrack instead of a video recording or a ticket. Saves quite a lot of money, doesn't it?

🦋: I haven't thought about it that way, but... I think you do have a point!

[seyaryminamoto]

I like how you do OCs. So many fanfictions make them overpowered and without flaws. But your ones come off more natural, half of them aren't even martial badasses but just regular people getting by. Like Kino, or Shouji. If I recall, Rui Shi was once some nameless caption before you developed him. Hina is, haha, yeah, a bitch, lol. Is it just me or would Ozai's assassin and Toph make a great comedy duo? The blind girl and the invisible man. Even Xin Long has personality. My fav is still Rui Shi.

Well, like I always say, Shoji isn’t an OC :’D he’s another repurposed one-time canon character who got a much bigger role in Gladiator than in ATLA, just like Song. This is him! It’s possible that it will become more obvious that he’s a canon-based character in chapter 201, but even if it’s not that obvious, now you know the truth!

Either way, I’m glad you like my OCs! Rui Shi is one of the best of them, without a doubt, so I take pride in knowing he’s your favorite. I guess there are many secrets to making OCs for fanfiction, because chances are you will need OCs in a long-term story like my own… but when I started out with the story, I always kept them at a minimum both because I wanted to use as many canon characters as I could (hence, Shoji), and because I knew of the stigma that surounds fanfiction OCs. There’s people who do like reading about OCs… but the majority of the readers will open a fic out of interest in the canon characters they already know and love. If your story isn’t outright about OCs, you risk alienating readers by introducing characters who could feel out of place in the setting (and that, I think, is what bothers you with OCs who are overpowered and flawless).

Admittedly, it may sound like I’m talking out of my ass because of characters like Rhone and Seethus, who probably do fall into the overpowered OC cliches… but uh, small secret: they’re not exactly my creations. They were a suggestion by a friend, one of Gladiator’s staunchest supporters from its very inception (being upfront, Gladiator wouldn’t even exist without him), and I did my best to accommodate them into the story despite there were some things in his original ideas for the characters that would have been quite difficult to work with. Seethus seems to have been received much better than Rhone, which is a relief for me, but the truth is that neither of them are 100% mine and they follow entirely different character-building principles because of that.

Outside of those two, though, the other OCs we have generally obey the need for these characters to exist in this world and setting: when it comes to the soldiers in the Fire Nation army, the show portrayed them as real people by the last season but I wanted to flesh out some of them further than that, beyond showing they can be nice to prisoners (Iroh’s friendly prison guard) or playful with each other (the ones from the Boiling Rock). That’s where Rui Shi came from, the most exasperated and tortured Royal Guard in the history of the position. Part of Rui Shi’s success, I think, comes from him being 100% loyal to Azula despite being 100% exasperated by her antics just as well :’D he’s a cool guy, but all he ever wanted was to protect a Princess who refuses to be protected and who seems to make a sport out of making his job more and more difficult xD which results in his constant clashes with her and his little patience for the ridiculous crap she gets up to more often than not. He serves as a counterweight, I think, to all the characters who are starstruck by Azula and Sokka: he’s a grounding character, helps us see these two are a pair of reckless dorks in love who need to get reeled back into their best behavior once in a while.

And then there’s Kino, who basically breathed life into the South Pole and created much more fun dynamics with those characters than everything that had preceded him. Kino was a REALLY lucky hit, a completely random night-time idea that came to me when I was about to go to bed… and when I woke up the next morning I couldn’t remember him anymore :’D it took a while for me to remember what that damn great idea had been… I was so glad when he returned to me, honestly xD Kino is a lot of fun, and as comedic a character as he may appear, that comedy is what makes him an individual rather than just another soldier. The idea of him being largely ignored by his fellow soldiers and commanding officers started off as a funny way to ensure he could hang out with Katara and Aang without trouble… but in Part 3 that will result in a pretty useful skill that everyone shall cherish him more for. He’s a counterweight to main characters too, in a sense, but in the opposite way Rui Shi is: he lightens up the generally serious and heavy South Pole chapters and embodies the common, ordinary Fire Nation citizen who has been indoctrinated since youth but who can find a new path for himself, learn better, cherish new ways of living once he’s removed from that very toxic environment.

I could talk for ages about the OCs in the story: Xin Long being so feisty, for instance, comes from my need to give him a visible personality, reminiscent of Azula’s own, just like Appa and Momo had in canon. Otherwise he’d feel like a mere object to be ridden back and forth between places and nothing more… which would be really demeaning for a proud creature like that, huh? :’D But I think you’ll get bored of reading too much of my OC theory, because I’ve thought about this stuff a lot xD Still, I’d like to add that there may be some characters who feel a little more complex, who may have more substance to them than initially obvious…

… And it’s because they do have more of it: I had an original story before Gladiator, pretty dense and huge story, and I’ve littered Gladiator with cameos of those OCs EVERYWHERE, it’s just not something anyone can tell because that story was never published (and never will be x’D). So… remember the Priestess of the Flames, from the Dragon’s Pit? She’s one of my favorite characters from that story xD some of her defining traits in Gladiator are outright taken from her original iteration (if you don’t remember her, no worries, you’ll see her again in the upcoming Slave Riot arc and I suspect she’ll make more of an impression there). Your Doom, his sponsor, the Ruthless Hero, the Dark Rook, Scoundrel and his sponsor too… they’re all crossovering OCs who got small roles in Gladiator xD in general, these repurposed characters have always been background or secondary characters (the ranking is FULL of these OCs, even if they might never get speaking roles, because that way I could fill up the ranks a little faster :’D), but that they already have established personalities allowed me to work easily with the ones who do have a starring role in the story, without needing to spend more time than I could afford fleshing them out so they felt believable.

I guess that really should be my final point: the OCs have to feel believable. If it looks like they have a life beyond interacting with the main cast, I don’t need to devote too much time to developing them unless strictly necessary (as was the case with Yang and Haiyan, as a quick example). OCs are, ultimately, characters: they have flaws, they have personality, they have a history just as everyone you walk past in the street does, even if you can’t fathom what it might be. As much as the world absolutely revolves around Azula and Sokka in Gladiator, each ordinary individual’s world doesn’t revolve around them. These two are as good as celebrities to admire, leaders to look up to, obstacles to overcome or nuisances to deal with… but they’re not the center of everything for the average citizen, as things stand. They’re not the only thing on their minds. Each OC has their own struggles, their own pursuits, some more mundane than others, just like every canon character does. It’s easy to think of characters, especially OCs, through a very simplistic “helpers” and “foils” filter… but real people are a lot more complicated than that, and so are they :’)

[luna-rainbow]

gintama live action references

Just going to jot this down before I forget them.

I suggest not reading this until you've watched the movie

There's a lot of stuff that's not in the anime or manga added for comic purposes, and overall it fits with the borderline copyright infringement theme of anime Gintama, so why not.

- Oguri Shun's introduction: I need to hear this song again, not sure if it refers to anything. - The trio's chibi 2D intro (like they do it in the anime) -- Hana Yori Dango: Gintoki saying "Ka~gura" and Shinpachi sniping "don't say it like you say Ma~kino~". Gintoki's actor (Oguri Shun) breakout role was Hanazawa Rui in HanaDan and his catchphrase that set lots of teenage girls' hearts aflutter was his sing-song Ma~kino~ -- A Thousand Year Beauty: towards the end of the skit, there's a picture of Kagura making a diamond with her fingers. It's a spoof of Hashimoto Kanna's breakout picture that dazzled the internet and earned her the title of "a once in a thousand year beauty". - Obake no Q-taro: Gintoki keeps calling Elizabeth "Q-taro". Katsura: Q-taro janai, Elizabeth desu! - Otae reading an entire chapter of Dragon Ball and they were all sound effects - Hage janai: I can't remember the details of this one, but it's right before Kagura gets onboard the ship and she sits down at a ramen street shop. The owner there is obviously wearing a wig and she calls him bald, and he reacts by saying he's not. Correct me if I'm wrong - that cameo actor looks awfully like Nukumizu Youichi, who was in BOSS, but who I also remember as having skits on various variety shows centered around his receding hairline. - Gengai's lab: -- Gundam: the curtain gets pulled down to reveal a massive Zaku. I'm not too familiar with the timeline of the original Gundam, but I'm assuming the little stumpy guy who turns up is supposed to spoof Char Aznable. -- One Piece: thanks to my friend for explaining this! Gengai offers Gintoki a purple fruit (this one) and puts on Luffy's hat and talks about becoming the pirate king. - Ore ore: Shinpachi manages to sneak onboard by saying, "Ore! Ore yo, ore!" Even though I'm 100% sure it's referring to the "ore ore" scams, I got slightly excited because Kame was in a movie called "Ore Ore". In any case, "ore ore" scams target elderly people who might be hard of hearing and not so good with technology, and they get a call where someone on the other end of the line says "ore ore" (It's me! It's me!) and then pretend to be a family member, and get the elderly person to wire money over. - Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind: when Gintoki and Tetsuko are musing about how to get onto the ship, a girl cosplaying Nausicaa appears riding on a glider.

I also can't remember where in the story, but there were mentions of Kamehama (Dragon Ball) as well.

That's all I can recall off the top of my head for the moment. Feel free to add to the list.

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1247

Monday, January 28, 2019

 What a classic Canadian winter we're having right now. It was bitterly cold but sunny yesterday so I went for a walk around the boundary of our neighbourhood. I walked out to Bank Street, turned south to go to Alta Vista Drive, turned north-east to go to Heron Road, turned west to go back to Bank Street again and then up Portland Avenue and home. It was very invigorating. More snow is forecast and Ottawa may break its all time record for the amount of snow fallen in January. Thank Thor I don't have to shovel all of it.

 What a great week for outstanding art. My eyes couldn't believe the work it was relishing with every comic book that I read. I generally choose the comic books that I want to read based on who writes it. When I flip through a new book that has nice art I will give it a try even though I don't recognise the writer's name. I do get disappointed when a writer I like is drawn by an artist that doesn't appeal to me, but I will continue to read the book. But if the story doesn't appeal to me even with beautiful art, I can't continue to read that comic. Monstress is a good example. I was surprised many times with the art this week. I haven't felt this happy after reading a pile of comic books in a long time.

 Man Without Fear #4 - Jed MacKay (writer) Paolo Villanelli (art) Andres Mossa (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime and still Mayor of New York City, pays a visit to Matt in the hospital. The biggest point that this issue makes is that Daredevil's secret identity is intact. When the Kingpin became mayor I thought the idea was ludicrous. Now not so much.

 Hardcore #2 - Andy Diggle (writer) Alessandro Vitti (art) Adriano Lucas (colours) Thomas Mauer (letters). This issue of an impossible mission is action-packed. Agent Drake is trapped but good. I love this crazy off the wall stuff.

 Superior Spider-Man #2 - Christos Gage (writer) Mike Hawthorne (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger with Victor Olazaba (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). So why is Terrax terrorizing Earth again? Because he wants to rule the entire planet. Hey, why not. Otto makes a valiant effort to beat the cosmically powered villain but all seems lost until his ex-girlfriend comes to the rescue. I like how Otto uses his brain to augment brawn when he fights bad guys.

 The Immortal Hulk #12 - Al Ewing (writer) Joe Bennett (main story pencils) Ruy Jose (main story inks) Eric Nguyen (flashbacks art) Paul Mounts (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). We are introduced to another side of the Hulk while he's in Hell. When the Hulk first hit the racks, he was just this big monster being pursued by the army. All he wanted was to be left alone but General Ross kept hounding him. Ever since they added multiple personalities to this character, he's become far more interesting. This story takes a serious look at Satan and what the devil means to mankind. A surprisingly mature theme for a super hero comic book.

 Cover #5 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) David Mack (art) Michael Avon Oeming (Owen art) Zu Orzu (colours) Carlos Mangual (letters). A comic book artists traveling around the world attending comic book conventions is an excellent cover for a spy. It's much more interesting because Max the artist is constantly out of his depth.

 The Avante-Guards #1 - Carly Usdin (writer) Noah Hayes (art) Rebecca Nalty (colours) Ed Dukeshire (letters). I liked the art in this when I flipped through it so I pulled it off the rack to read. I'm glad I did. This is a slice-of-life comic book starring Charlene "Charlie" Bravo, a freshman at an arts college. She's a loner who I took a liking to after reading this first issue. Charlie meets perky go-getter Olivia who is trying to form a basketball team to play against other art colleges. I'm going to stick around to see if this southpaw joins the team. I really like the clever title of this book too.

 Guardians of the Galaxy #1 - Donny Cates (writer) Geoff Shaw (art) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Now see? This here is a new Marvel #1 that's worthy of being bought off the rack. It's a sequel to "Infinity Wars", which didn't hold my attention, and introduces the new team. Seems like the old team broke up during "Infinity Wars". If the new team isn't enough to get you hooked on this 6-issue story, then their first mission will. They have to stop the resurrection of Thanos. Y'see, the Mad Titan was killed in "Infinity Wars". There's guest stars galore and the one on the last page is another reason I want to keep reading. And wait until you see how Groot has changed. I haven't felt this excited after reading a Marvel #1 in some time.

 Oliver #1 - Gary Whitta (writer) Darick Robertson (art) Diego Rodriguez (colours) Simon Bowland (letters). It's been a while since we've seen Darick Robertson's art on the racks. His work on "The Boys" made that series a highlight issue after issue. I think his work in this post apocalyptic story based in London, England is some of his best. Oliver is born into this hell hole but he grows up fast. There's a genetic mystery that's got me interested but it's the art that will keep me reading.

 Blossoms 666 #1 - Cullen Bunn (writer) Laura Braga (art) Matt Herms (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). This new Archie Horror book should tide you over while you're waiting for the next Sabrina book to hit the racks. I know that the new Blossom twins have been recast as villains and this will show you how dark they've gotten. If the number of the beast isn't a hint, wait until you see what Cheryl is up to on the last page.

 Naomi #1 - Brian Michael Bendis & David F. Walker (writers) Jamal Campbell (art) Josh Reed (letters). Have you given up on Riri Williams/Ironheart? I haven't yet, but it's not the same without Brian Michael Bendis writing her adventures. Well, if you're looking for a comic book just as cool and eye-popping gorgeous, please give this new DC/Wonder Comics a look see. It's very difficult to get a brand new character onto the racks that will get me jazzed but Brian has done it here. Superman makes a cameo but this is all about a troubled teen growing up in a small town. I can't wait to find out more about Naomi's mysterious past. Jamal Campbell's pretty art is a huge bonus.

 Shazam #2 - Geoff Johns (writer) Marco Santucci (art) Mike Atiyeh (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). The big surprise at the end of the first issue gets a cursory two page mention before we join the Shazam siblings back in the grand central station of the Magiclands. There are seven lands to explore and Funland seems to be safe. Meanwhile, we get our first look at Mr. Mind and as an added bonus, his origin story. The art in this issue is really nice and we are left with another new character on the last page that makes me want to keep reading. King Kid, ruler of Funland: good or evil?

 Avengers #13 - Jason Aaron (writer) Andrea Sorrentino (art) Justin Ponsor & Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This is the origin story of Fan Fei, the very first Iron Fist from one million years BC. She deserves her own mini series by these guys. Andrea Sorrentino's art impressed me immensely when he did Green Arrow with Jeff Lemire and I think he's gotten better since. His stuff in here reminded me of Frank Quitely. It sure is pretty.

 Batman #63 - Tom King (writer) Mikel Janin (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). Knightmares part 3. Batman is trapped in a dream with Constantine. If the second hand smoke doesn't drive you crazy, the dream will. This look into Batman's psyche reminds me of the time he was captured during the Court of Owls story. It was nice to see Tom explore what might have happened if the Cat and the Bat got married.

 Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #2 - Tom Taylor (writer) Juann Cabal (art) Nolan Woodard (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). This isn't just friendly, it's amazing and spectacular. I haven't felt this much joy reading a Spider-Man/Peter Parker story since Brian Michael Bendis was writing Miles Morales/Spider-Man stories. The scene with the kids and Johnny Storm was cute. I like how Mayor Fisk's cameo establishes when this story happens. The cherry on top was the last page introducing a new character named The Rumor that made me giggle with glee. I can't wait to read #3.