The title pretty much says it all. (Apologies, Digi, if this is a repeat thread.)
What, to you, makes a character good? What makes you a fan of particular characters? If you have any example characters then that would be good too.
Is it their origins? Is it their tragedies? Is it that they're easy to relate to? Their character design even? Or is it simply that they beat this person or did that thing? (A lot of the time to the outside observer this last reason does seem like the reason some characters garner fans.)
On the flip side, what do you think makes for a bad character?
Yeah, I think I need a good character design for at least initial interest in a character concept. I'm shallow that way.
I agree about the powers part, on the whole the brick characters, or flying brick characters don't appeal as much to me because they have the most mundane abilities.
And I agree for a lot of characters it is a combination of all of those mentioned characteristics that makes them appealing, but then there are some characters who gain followings, while lacking a lot of the above...
So are those characters considered good characters because they manage to attract a following or are they considered bad characters because they don't really have the qualities one would normally see in a great character concept.
I think the personal flaw thing really humanizes a character and is part of the whole "easy to relate to" thing.
On a similar note to characters having flaws being a good thing - it often seems that some villains often have great potential when it comes to being good characterwise, and under good writers live up to it, sometimes even more so than the characters they were created to antagonize. But then they also say a measure of a hero is in the calibre of his foes I suppose.
Powers should make sense and work well with the personality. Also, it's always nice if there's some originality to the power. Even if this is a small thing, like growing dumber as you grow bigger, that separates you from every other super sizer.
Dumbasses are not fun characters to follow. Witty, clever or geniuses are more fun, though hopefully there's an element of wit or humor to the prodigies.
Finally, characters should be defined by their traits and personality, not their powers. Powers are nice and good, but there should be something that defines and separates them intrinsically from every other character with the same power set, or of the same personality archetype.
Also I think a character can become popular just because they appear with such an air of power and importance and badassness, that they can be seen as cool even with horrible development. This typically works better on villains I find.
2. well developed background that explains the motivations behind the character - ie. Batman
3. complex character (meaning character isn't just a black or white hero/villain type, but rather has many issues to deal with in life beyond fighting superpowered beings) - ie. Spiderman
4. good rogue of enemies - a character is only as good as the enemies he faces daily - ie. Batman again
5. cool factor (some characters are JUST cool, while others are duds) - ie. Superman
KMC Community Forums
Jan 5th, 2008 03:29 AM
