Comments on: Manuscript Killers: Kids

By: Mr. USA

Mr. USA — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 03:39:24 +0000

I think we should follow in the stead of Calvin and Hobbes. Sure, Calvin was a brat, but he was also imaginative, smart, snarky, philosophical, caring for animals sometimes, etc. He is the most rounded kid character in comics I have seen.

By: Wings

Wings — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:05:44 +0000

I only give the name Reynolds to highlight the fact that she’s Heather’s sister. And yes, she’s hypnotized, and it’s unsure what she is like in the real world. She’s only a minor character, with only one appearance.

- Wings

By: Lunajamnia

Lunajamnia — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:55:41 +0000

Yay! Naru is spared from the useless kid thing. Even though she is definitely somewhat of a Mary Sue (though I did not mean to make her that way and she DOES get scarred and stuff it’s not like she evades the war/escapes unscathed/is all happy go lucky).

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:49:50 +0000

I think creepy kid characters work better than cute ones. Anyway. I’d recommend cutting down the number of her names from 3 (Alyssa Reynolds/Warp) to 2 (Alyssa/Warp). Alternately, you could consider making her just Alyssa. That doesn’t sound villainous at all, but I think that reflects that this character isn’t actually evil but just hypnotized.

By: David

David — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:50:00 +0000

That’s cool, Wings. I had a child character who’s a cool, calculating assassin. She’s 9. I did a story about her, but I don’t know where to go with it currently. So I’m leaving that story and probably won’t finish it.

But you said she’s hypnotized? So the whole ruthless, psychotic thing is just the hypnosis?

By: Wings

Wings — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:55:21 +0000

Well, my only child character is Alyssa Reynolds aka Warp. and she’s basically a ruthless, psychotic, cold-blooded, hypnotized 7-year-old. Not exactly an “adorable angel” or a “spunky brat”, ay?

- Wings

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:46:10 +0000

@RB: I like that combination too. I think it would work best for a side character (because likability matters much less for sides).
@David: Hunter sounds really good. I think that sensitive, protective, and maybe a short attention span are not very dramatic. Sensitive is kind of bland and everyone in a superhero story tends to be protective, so protective wouldn't help this character stand out. Brave wouldn't really stick out either, unless there was something else going on that made her bravery unusual. For example, someone that's brave and incompetent might be a liability that the rest of the characters have to deal with. Someone that's brave and calculating might have an interesting gambling motif going on, etc.
Playful is ok. Although Chain is already kind of playful/juvenile, I think that a playful hunter is an interesting character concept so the overlap shouldn't be much of a problem.

By: Ragged Boy

Ragged Boy — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:24:03 +0000

I like tempermental and talented.

By: David

David — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:10:32 +0000

well i got this brave, sensative, short attenction span, playfull, protetive, and hunter

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:47:38 +0000

I think there’s a lot of personality overlap between Silence and Kimberly. Silence is fairly child-like, and sometimes I feel like she acts cute in a kiddy kind of way.

Just brainstorming out loud here… I’ve got some personality combinations that might help her stick out more. Feel free to mix and match if you see any you like.
–ambitious and serious
–critical and helpful
–attentive and logical
–unfriendly and generous
–temperamental and talented (prima donna!)
–rebellious and hard-working
–oversensitive and comically vindictive
–utilitarian and rebellious
–vindictive and curious
–headstrong and hasty
–well-meaning and doltish
–brave and incompetent
–ambitious and forgetful
–lazy and imaginative
–well-read and combative
–picky and tactful/diplomatic
–blunt and careless
–Marine
–egotistical
…etc.

By: Holliequ

Holliequ — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:43:11 +0000

And what B. Mac said. Believe me when I say cat-cleaning don’t work for anyone BUT cats.

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:41:58 +0000

She cleans herself like a cat? I think that comic book publishers might have issues with underage ladies licking themselves, particularly in a comic for the Teen Titan crowd.

I agree with Hol that her lack of style might be a problem. Is she going to add much besides cuteness? Also, I’m not sure how well cuteness plays to your audience…

By: Holliequ

Holliequ — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:41:44 +0000

I’d make her less cutesy and childlike and give her more style. For example, the fact that she’s ‘cute’ and ‘catlike’ are all we know about her now. I’d suggest giving her more of a personality and making her less childlike. I suspect your audience might just find her annoying.

Also, don’t you have quite a few characters already?

By: David

David — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:30:33 +0000

well one side chrater i have is Kimberly Ds littel sister “athough not by blood just a bond betwen em” now she is cute but she has a lot of cat tendanseys she gos on all fours alot of the time sh lands on her feet she even cleans her self like a cat shes also fast and lands on her feet great nightvision now as i said shes cutesy and childlike but when she gets angry she turns feriel her eyes turn in to cat slits nails exstend same as teeth thats basicly her think she would be a gd side chrater?

By: L.A.Writer

L.A.Writer — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:15:57 +0000

Okay, thanks I’ll keep that in mind.