Adding Realism To Characters...

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lorbo

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#1  Edited By lorbo

Just a thought...I was watching "Roots", wonderful series BTW. Just wanted to say how realistic it is. And I love realism. I can't help but think, I wonder, do comics ever really show the effects that all the drama in heroes lives has on them?

I just saw a scene in "Roots" where a character who was once a slave won't allow his daughter to marry a light skinned black guy. Only because of his experiences as a slave, where color was a status symbol, the darker you were the worse you were treated. So he was bitter after all those years, even though his daughter's situation was not exactly like his.

Just goes to show that in fiction, the past does and should matter. Things that happened should have a bearing on how characters act. Although it is all too easy to force what you want to happen instead of taking this into account. Not to say every situation is PSTD, but nonetheless characters ARE what they were and THEN some.

Now this is just about personalities. I NEVER would advise you to be totally realistic with science and physics, because doing that is just near impossible. With superheroes, believe me I have tried. It's a losing battle that will take more work and give you less variety than the comics have by far.

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JonSmith

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#2  Edited By JonSmith

Check out Marvel's Ultimate Universe.

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Irishlad

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#3  Edited By Irishlad

@JonSmith said:

Check out Marvel's Ultimate Universe.

this

PLUS

A lot of indie books have a bearing on the character, the reason you don't see it much in DC and Marvel is because if they change too much people will get upset or at least that's the belief.

If you're looking for a superhero specific indie book I'd go with Invincible by Robert Kirkman it's a really great book and you can see that the main character remembers every decision but still manages to try and be cheerful so it doesn't get too Batman-y

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Billy Batson

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#4  Edited By Billy Batson

There's plenty of realism in comic books.
Like others said, there are independent books, Marvel's Ultimate Universe, MAX line, DC's Vertigo and plenty of mainstream series as well with real themes.
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xxxddd

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#5  Edited By xxxddd

@Billy Batson: @JonSmith: @Irishlad:

How come Marvel's mainstream universe doesn't have realism?

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Billy Batson

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#6  Edited By Billy Batson

@xxxddd:

It does.
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Irishlad

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#7  Edited By Irishlad

It does have realism but the realism the poster was talking about was history having an affect on a character.

While it does happens sometimes in Marvel and DC for the most part what ever happens in a comic book seems to be either forgotten or ratified in 20-30 issues if not less like death for example.