Tom Floyd’s Initial Report May 30, 2007
Posted by Don in "Challenger" Storm, The Black Wing, The Cipher.trackback
Tom Floyd has reported back with some initial thoughts regarding my ideas. His response is as follows:
My computer at work is toast, and IS is still working on it, but I got the
story ideas and will be able to respond in a few days…..
One thing I noticed before my machine died, was that you had told us all
the little details about what these characters use and do….but not much
about what the real stories are about….something I would like to know,
even if it isn’t revealed to the public at large.
example:
Captain Spectre is really about redemption…..even tho it hasn’t been
revealed in the strip yet….that is the idea it all stems from. It is
what makes the character tick.
Just thinking out loud…..
This took my thoughts in a different direction, and I thought about my creations in a new light. My response:
Thanks so much for your reply and your interest.
To answer your inquiries: the original purpose of the stories is to just have fun and write some fun pulpy pastiches… on the surface. Below the surface, there are themes I want to explore, although it wasn’t my intention at the beginning; it just happened.
For example: Challenger Storm is also about redemption, as well. The main character has a constant internal struggle to make up for the horrible person he once was. It’s not going to be a heavy philosophical series per se; the stories will be lighter in tone and be a bit like Doc Savage stories (globe-trotting problem-solvers, high adventure in remote corners of the globe, etc), but with a more human, more fallible lead character.
The Cipher seems to be about the group dynamic; about what happens when a group is devoted to the same goals, but is pushed and pulled in the different directions by the group members.
The Black Wing… hmm… I created this just to have fun with, as a tribute to pulp, serial, and golden age “flying heroes”. If there IS an underlying theme it’s duty.
Tom’s email was very thought provoking, and gave me some things to think about.
This is exactly why I started my feedback group. Discussion can send ideas spinning into new and previously unthought-of directions. It’s a joy, really, and it feels really good.
“Tom’s email was very thought provoking, and gave me some things to think about.”
Ooops. A bit redundant, don’tcha think?
Maybe I’d better rethink this writing thing