Thinning the crowd

[Modesty]

Hopefully one of us can get in touch with James or Shiroikami somehow so we can decide what to do with their characters together. Their lack of participation (or ability to participate) makes them inactive Impromanga artists. It would be best for us to identify characters that can be dropped or pushed into the background anyway.
If possible I'd like to get permission from the other artists before we do this. This is mentioned in the page rules that if you are inactive your character MAY be written out.

Here are characters I would suggest "fading" into the background.
~ Jaes - sort of played his role out in the story in my opinion. He could be Tyde's muscle replacement. Honestly I have a hard time writing him into the story.

~ Miria - I think she can easily fade in and out of the background thanks to her role as support.

~ Kai - I only vote Kai because xxmischaxx has not participated in nearly a year or so. He's an involved character but since we're discussing fading out characters whose owners are not involved I think it's only fair to take him into consideration.

~ Terran - She's my character and I think she has mostly played out her role and can go back to the background since that's easy to do with teacher characters. She can be mentioned.

~Slyphie - Again only because bb is on extended hiatus, it's only fair. She's in a position where it's kind of easy to let her "recover" and play a less dominant role.

~ Finn - He was originally a background character, it's time for him to go back. We may even have Tai utterly destroy him because I need blood someone needs to die on screen. Plus Tyde will be replacing him. :3

~ Lucius - Just my request, it's very easy for me to write Lucius because his personality is so vibrant and loud, but I fear he's overcrowding Marron. He'll be around but I intend to give him less speaking lines and less screen time. (Back to the kitchen for him...house-husband. XD)

Please provide me with feedback on your thoughts in this matter.
Or offer other character to vote off.

[azalea]

Kai's write out/fade out could be as simple as him getting mad at Tyde leaving for the 'other side' ...if Kai stomps off, without explaining what Tyde's likely up to, it may make for some interesting trust issues...

Terran's military, she can fade out on a mission to get reinforcements (maybe take a few students along?) That way we also have a card to play if we need something later in the comic...Or the artists of those characters come back etc...Miria, Jaes and possibly Kai could go with her...

Finn may die...but shadow character 2 may not like it XD

[Modesty]

Whatever happened to shadow number 2? Who was it anyway?

That's a good way to fade out Kai actually. It would be in character too. I'm going to miss his dynamic with Tyde.

But figuring out shadow number 2 would be interesting. :3 Oh that would be a fun dynamic too.

[azalea]

<_< Shadow number two was spying on Jaes last I saw. He's still around somewhere... I have no clue what he looks like XD

[Azaeziel]

I really don't feel like I have much to say on this topic. I believe you were originally trying for a cast of about 6 major characters. I think those would be:

Angelo
Marron
Sylphi
Tyde
Kai
Miria

Right? Then everyone else is technically a background/supporting character and can be shuttled in and out as needed by the specific scenario. If I am wrong, let me know, and I'll adjust my thinking accordingly.

As far as removing characters, just so long as it is done in a nice and funny way (like the door zap-removal of Starburst and Aelmon) I would think it would be cool, and as long as it isn't a permanent removal (eg: death, banishment, ponyization, chibification, etc...), then if the artist returns to us they can be easily reintroduced.

I think shadow number two should always remain just shadow #2. A character who we never know who it is and never will. Forever trapped as a shade in this world, never to have a name or face (or even lines possibly). The eternal background character. heheh...

The best thought from me would be to e-mail the artist involved with a notice that thier lack of participation has caused thier character to fall to a background role and is in danger of being removed from the comic. If they wish for a specific removal, please notify you, otherwise they will be written out as you see fit. If the artist doesn't want thier character removed, they should notify you of this and participate, otherwise they should back out gracefully and make room for other newcoming artists.

And that brings up the specter of how to get new artists. I put out those flyers at Comic-Con. Was there any response or site-hit spike from that? Anything noticeable, or even just mentionable? Did it have any effect at all, or was it just advertising? Was it something we would want to try again elsewhere or next year on a larger scale? (I did only do 300 flyers at a convention that had over 150,000 attendees A DAY.) (Sorry, I just love Comic-Con. It's so huge that it's almost a parody of itself now.)

Anyhow, thats my two cents.

[Modesty]

Thank you for your thoughtful reply Az.

How this originally started was with bb, myself, azalea, and faronkaos. I recruited xxmischaxx and bb found Shiroikami. At that point everyone was to submit 2 main characters because I did not think we'd get more members. But surprisingly James showed up and 2 other folks who were friends of other members and already bb and I realized that our cast was massive.

But there was originally a reason to that. We expected characters to die. We wanted to do a more battle royale, but then the story situation changed and we shied away from the character death.

So the original characters were:
Aelmon
Glade
Starburst
Angelo
Marron
Sylphie
Daixx
Joy
Jaes
Silf
Tyde
Kai

Due to the dynamics of the artists, forum activity and our storyline, the main focus turned on the big group of six. So that's the actual history of it.

It's really hard to see people go and it's hard to let go of characters that I have come to love. I know right now that James and Shiroi are just too busy in real life. I hate to keep nagging them through messages outside this forum. (It's rough for me to chase everyone individually, so thanks for helping with that.) I also think it may add some unwanted pressure on their part if I keep poking them about it.

Now as you have mentioned this is not KILLING off characters. (Unless an active member wants to volunteer a character up for death. I vote Lucius! XD
Nooooooooo! Think of my children!)
This is just a "not including them in the script" until they come back sort of thing.

So technically right now there are only 4 active artists, myself, azalea, waxen, and Az. Do you think we need to expand? Do you think we should find just one shot artists? I could try recruiting on DD again, MAX, or deviantart. I just want to make sure no one is going to burn out on me.

Checking the Sass Studio page hits, there have been no spikes.
There are few spikes on NN pages though. Thanks for getting our name out there though. Honestly next year will be a bit better I think because by then I'll be done with school (YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!) And I'll hopefully just be working full time. Believe me it's MUCH easier to run this when I'm not juggling an art book project and a master's thesis at the same time. XD (Plus many more things.)

[azalea]

I don't mind either Tyde or Silf dying for the sake of plot. It'd be sad but would definately add dynamics to the storyline. Where as everyones only been injured at this point, we've set up a 'safety net' feeling for readers. No one important has died, we only kill the minor guys in the red uniforms (Star trek reference) or have major characters go on vacations. So reader think...'oh well everything will turn out fine, happy ending for them all...'

But then we put in a well placed and well written death of a beloved main character, and it causes shock. If it happened once could it happen again?

<_<; I may sound mean to my characters but that comes from having a darker style in writing and art. I think the biggest problem is that good character deaths are hard to write, and probably even harder to draw without them ending up corny or generic. Also bringing the tone of the comic back up to high spirited becomes hard with the weight of death weighing characters down. ...

Silf and Tyde: Your scary!

[Modesty]

And the safety net was there, as you said, because I don't think anyone felt comfortable killing off a character. (Plus there are always ghosts). A nice dramatic death would be nice. I like to venture on the darker side every once in awhile. :3

Thanks for volunteering characters for death azzy. :3 (And I still nominate Lucius as well...because we all know he ain't the real daddy).
( Such scandal!)
( Yes...scandal. mwahahahhaha!!)

Anyway, you're right about writing character death is tricky, but would be awesomely shocking.

A Tyde death would be excellent in that he's the happy-go-lucky type. He kind of lifts everyone's spirits.
Silf would be a hard blow more in the loss of an ally, leader, teacher. We should talk more about working in a death of one of the main guys.
I'll also volunteer any of my minor characters for a death role.

Great...so I think that the crowd thinning is pretty much solved.
1) I will just focus the script on active characters for awhile.
2) A main character death.

[James StarRunner]

Well if Jaes is hard to write for, he can always become a martyr or ditch school and go crusading to free every slave that was ever slaved (which he would have a lot of motive for, being a slave himself). Joy on the other hand I think is too far into the group to just remove.

[Modesty]

Joy will have to stay whether you like it or not...I like drawing her too much. XD XD Thanks for responding and sorry for not keeping in touch. I'm lucky to remember to wear shoes these days. (It'll be easier to remember that once winter comes.)

Jaes I think we'll avoid focus on for now.

...and I'm still all for killing Tyde now...XD
...and I think I should feel guilty about that.

BTW, tomorrow I'm going to record a podcast...I'll see what I can do to pimp out NN on that. I may volunteer it for review sometime.

[azalea]

Don't feel guilty. Tyde has a good emotional tie to everyone. He's power-wise and bodily probably one of the strongest. So him dying isn't something everyone can see coming. He's happy and a full of life guy with great potential...to have that cut short is tragic, which makes for interesting story.

That brief course on Siren anatomy can even have a tie in. Tyde's the type who wouldn't mention something was wrong if it would be a burden. what if his heart was getting stuck on high beats? Or he expends a mass amount of energy either to protect those he cares for? *shrugs* It could be that being possessed by Tai who doesn't realize the power of emotion over siren's bodies is the trigger. From then throughout the chapter we give subtle hints of something being wrong... like he sleeps a bit longer (Someone can just make a comment), he gets emotional a bit quicker, maybe he collapses while carrying someone but brushes it off as tripping? Straining to catch his breath or clutching his chest when no ones looking.

make it more interesting by having, Tyde talk about his life's goals, his mama , his dreams, basically give a glimpse of a future that for Tyde will never be.

Or the epic battle scenario is just as fun, blood is nice, and a scary serious Tyde duking it out with all sorts of watery effects would be fun ^_^

plus there's the back stabbing scenario, He's carefree having fun one moment (while everyone feels safe to have a rest)with the others maybe going to get a ball or frisbee from the forest...and the next moment he wanders back without the object, cast by shadow someone can comment about him 'not looking hard enough or loosing the frisbee" and the next moment he looks up and falls to his knees someones calling card jabbed through his chest or back....

even more bitter sweet, Tyde gets the frisbee calls out to the guys, who look up just in time to witness (insert baddy) giving Tyde his death blow, his body rolls forward towards the group etc...

Sorry if I'm overly morbid at all.

[Modesty]

I really like the first suggestion. :3 A kind of "maybe somethings wrong" sort of thing. Or then again, a sudden death!! :3

This is fun. Then there's the fun aftermath. It'd be best if somehow the good guys "profit" from his death. Like he was able to get them some sort of vital information (if they know how to look for it.) Like a cryptic note in his fist ...or hair...or the all important computer disk. ;D LOL.

And now I'm getting in the mood for a Halloween creepy picture. :3

[Azaeziel]

Idea? (/begin two cents)

Tyde has snuck off and fake joined Tai (as was written in the spoiler script area I believe). Then later, when the others are having lunch or something (a while later), they see him walk slowly and deliberately (perhaps staggering slightly) up to them. (Background: Readers notice but not the characters, bloody footprints or drippy trail behind him) He manages to get out a word or two, but blood flecks on his lips when he tries, and then he collapses with a knife or demonic arrow or some other horrible thing stuck in his back (like he struggled so hard to make it to them with this horrible wound just to die at thier feet). The biggest part of his death is of course the blood trail he left (like a trail of breadcrumbs effect) so that they can then follow it back to 'The Climactic Event' that he has now died to try and prevent.

Just a death scene idea. Then he dies when the reader wasn't expecting to see him again, and his death has heroic purpose, plus he gets to die on-screen and not just a 'death in the gutter' off-screen death.

(/end two cents)

[Modesty]

Yes...no gutter death for Tyde.
Great suggestion btw. Bread crumb trail. I like it.