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The 5th Corner [SEEKING HELP!]
8 years ago
Hello again, SUPER fans!
I've mentioned many times that the SUPERverse is separated into different areas of focus I like to call "corners". These "corners" are multi-story arcs that are -- for the most part -- distinctly separate from the others to a point that they can't quite be categorized together. The plan of the SUPERverse so far has always had 4 corners:
- Corner 1: The "S.U.P.E.R." storyline, which will include its characters' origins as well as their future adventures
- Corner 2: The "IntraNet" storyline, which focuses on Fire Fox and all the other heroes involved in the cosmic organization
- Corner 3: The "Mighty O's" storyline, which will remain grounded until it connects to the "S.U.P.E.R." corner much farther ahead
- Corner 4: The "Tall Tails" storyline, a soon-to-be-revealed arc of cosmic scope focusing on very specific and isolated characters
These have been the "corners" of my universe for a long time now.
In the back of my mind, however, there has been an urge to create another.
I always assumed that there are so many comic superheroes from New York City because many of their writers were very familiar with that setting. They may have been from there or just visited, but they knew how to write a story involving it.
In this aspect, I am at a disadvantage. I am not from New York City, nor have I even visited. I have put quite a few heroes in that area of my universe as well, to be sure, but I actually have very little knowledge of that setting. Because of this, I've felt the great desire to put heroes in places I actually know. I feel this would benefit the stories, as it may help the settings feel a little more real and grounded.
In my life, I have lived in two major areas, both within the United States.
The later state is Colorado, and I have assigned this setting to Chrome Dome's upcoming origin story, "Iron Eagle".
The earlier state, where I spent my childhood and -- as of now -- the slightly-larger half of my life, is Louisiana. The New Orleans area in Louisiana specifically is a wonderful hub of art, music, history, and culture. I have a large amount of family there still; I know the area pretty well, and I would love to give it a hero. To my knowledge, not very many comic book heroes govern the state of Louisiana specifically, at least nowhere near as many as New York.
For a while now, I have been hard at work planning a hero for this portion of my universe. As I'm still in the beginning stages, it's tough to see exactly when and how he will interact with the other "corners". Because of this, I am giving him a "corner" all his own. I still have a ways to go with planning, but I have a pretty strong concept so far, and I have a pretty final name for this hero as well.
His name is Baron Boudreaux.
Given the culture of the Louisiana area, I have decided to give Boudreaux a strong connection to Voodoo. As such, he will be a far more mystical hero than what my universe is used to so far. My idea is for Boudreaux to be a unique Doctor Strange type for my universe. While my initial idea was to make him an incredibly dark character (partially to fix the lack of darkness in Gargoyle), I'm finding that the more and more I plan him, the more light-hearted he's becoming. I'm aware that a few other characters in DC and Marvel alike are also connected to Voodoo, but I have done some research and realized that I will still have a VERY different take on it and on him.
I have also been HEAVILY researching Voodoo itself, and I've found its mainstream representation is wildly inaccurate. I'll spare you too many details, but as an example, "Voodoo dolls" are NOT a part of Voodoo at all. Because of this, I've made it my goal to portray Voodoo far more accurately in my stories. There are a lot of variations of Voodoo, so I have prioritized the teachings of Haitian Voodou for this character. I have learned quite a lot and found a lot of great mythology/lore to use, but a few aspects are fairly ambiguous and confusing. Online articles can only take me so far and teach me so much.
Here's where YOU come in.
In order to make sense of some of my research, I feel I need a Voodoo specialist. I realize this is a long-shot, but I am looking for someone within the furry/art communities that boasts considerable knowledge of REAL Voodoo, preferably Haitian Voodou. Only through clarifying things with an expert can I solidify my impressions and plans for the story.
If you do not know of anyone with this kind of knowledge, PLEASE help spread the word to find someone with it.
I'd really like to continue planning and eventually write this character, and these frustrating ambiguous research elements are preventing me from doing so. I have searched and searched for what I need, and I keep coming up short. I need someone with legitimate knowledge of the religion and its spirits. Any and all assistance with this will be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you.
If all goes well, you can look forward to Baron Boudreaux's contribution to this universe in the future!
I've mentioned many times that the SUPERverse is separated into different areas of focus I like to call "corners". These "corners" are multi-story arcs that are -- for the most part -- distinctly separate from the others to a point that they can't quite be categorized together. The plan of the SUPERverse so far has always had 4 corners:
- Corner 1: The "S.U.P.E.R." storyline, which will include its characters' origins as well as their future adventures
- Corner 2: The "IntraNet" storyline, which focuses on Fire Fox and all the other heroes involved in the cosmic organization
- Corner 3: The "Mighty O's" storyline, which will remain grounded until it connects to the "S.U.P.E.R." corner much farther ahead
- Corner 4: The "Tall Tails" storyline, a soon-to-be-revealed arc of cosmic scope focusing on very specific and isolated characters
These have been the "corners" of my universe for a long time now.
In the back of my mind, however, there has been an urge to create another.
I always assumed that there are so many comic superheroes from New York City because many of their writers were very familiar with that setting. They may have been from there or just visited, but they knew how to write a story involving it.
In this aspect, I am at a disadvantage. I am not from New York City, nor have I even visited. I have put quite a few heroes in that area of my universe as well, to be sure, but I actually have very little knowledge of that setting. Because of this, I've felt the great desire to put heroes in places I actually know. I feel this would benefit the stories, as it may help the settings feel a little more real and grounded.
In my life, I have lived in two major areas, both within the United States.
The later state is Colorado, and I have assigned this setting to Chrome Dome's upcoming origin story, "Iron Eagle".
The earlier state, where I spent my childhood and -- as of now -- the slightly-larger half of my life, is Louisiana. The New Orleans area in Louisiana specifically is a wonderful hub of art, music, history, and culture. I have a large amount of family there still; I know the area pretty well, and I would love to give it a hero. To my knowledge, not very many comic book heroes govern the state of Louisiana specifically, at least nowhere near as many as New York.
For a while now, I have been hard at work planning a hero for this portion of my universe. As I'm still in the beginning stages, it's tough to see exactly when and how he will interact with the other "corners". Because of this, I am giving him a "corner" all his own. I still have a ways to go with planning, but I have a pretty strong concept so far, and I have a pretty final name for this hero as well.
His name is Baron Boudreaux.
Given the culture of the Louisiana area, I have decided to give Boudreaux a strong connection to Voodoo. As such, he will be a far more mystical hero than what my universe is used to so far. My idea is for Boudreaux to be a unique Doctor Strange type for my universe. While my initial idea was to make him an incredibly dark character (partially to fix the lack of darkness in Gargoyle), I'm finding that the more and more I plan him, the more light-hearted he's becoming. I'm aware that a few other characters in DC and Marvel alike are also connected to Voodoo, but I have done some research and realized that I will still have a VERY different take on it and on him.
I have also been HEAVILY researching Voodoo itself, and I've found its mainstream representation is wildly inaccurate. I'll spare you too many details, but as an example, "Voodoo dolls" are NOT a part of Voodoo at all. Because of this, I've made it my goal to portray Voodoo far more accurately in my stories. There are a lot of variations of Voodoo, so I have prioritized the teachings of Haitian Voodou for this character. I have learned quite a lot and found a lot of great mythology/lore to use, but a few aspects are fairly ambiguous and confusing. Online articles can only take me so far and teach me so much.
Here's where YOU come in.
In order to make sense of some of my research, I feel I need a Voodoo specialist. I realize this is a long-shot, but I am looking for someone within the furry/art communities that boasts considerable knowledge of REAL Voodoo, preferably Haitian Voodou. Only through clarifying things with an expert can I solidify my impressions and plans for the story.
If you do not know of anyone with this kind of knowledge, PLEASE help spread the word to find someone with it.
I'd really like to continue planning and eventually write this character, and these frustrating ambiguous research elements are preventing me from doing so. I have searched and searched for what I need, and I keep coming up short. I need someone with legitimate knowledge of the religion and its spirits. Any and all assistance with this will be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you.
If all goes well, you can look forward to Baron Boudreaux's contribution to this universe in the future!
