Tales of the Parodyverse - Re: I'm rethinking that fast.

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In Reply To

killer shrike

Subj: Re: I'm rethinking that fast.
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 at 06:08:06 pm EDT (Viewed 2 times)

Reply Subj: Re: I'm rethinking that fast.
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 at 07:50:33 am EDT (Viewed 5 times)

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I know that some readers are sensitive to storylines where one character seems to leap in and solve problems that others have struggled with. People's concerns about Mumph and an "easy win" here are have set off alarm bells for me that maybe its not a good idea to have him around again because this is the kind of situation he tends to end up resolving.

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As long as we see there can be drawbacks to Mumph's style of "liasing", I don't really think this is a problem. Actually, the idea of there being some contrast between how Vizh runs the team and how Mumph would, maybe leading to some friction, would be interesting.

I hadn't really planned any friction. Mumphrey understands the chain of command and respects Vizh or he wouldn't be there.

I have had Vizh and Mumph clash before over a hostage situation and I wouldn't want to repeat myself. Other than some life and death specific controversial issue (such as pretty much any two cast members might find themselves at odds over) I can't think of a way to portray friction between Vizh and Mumph without diminishing their characters.

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But yeah, if Mumph is going to swoop in and settle any dispute in his usual brusque, effecient style he might as well be leader (which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing). Its just kind of pointless from a storyline standpoint to have the more qualified guy be the liaison officer while the less competent but the more empathetic (that's a word, right?) guy be in charge if there isn't meant to be some kind of rationale for it.

We'll need to get to Mumph's reasons for coming out of retirement at some point.

From an out-of-continuity point of view, back when I was consulting on the line-up I decided I needed a chair-type leader to enable CSFB! to continue in a credible and sustainable field leadership role. That mostly meant a stay-at-home type, and of the cast most available that indicated Mumphrey or Vizh. I also considered Drury, Al B., and the Librarian.

Eventually I decided to see if I could persuade poster-Vizh to allow Vizh a second shot at the big chair - his first tenure was cut short before I got to write all the stories I wanted with him in post. If Vizh wasn't keen on that then my back-up plan was to put Mumphrey back in charge.

I hadn't really expected to convince Vizh, although I was very pleased when he consented. By that time I'd already worked out some Mumph-related plotlines I might have used so I decided to keep Mumph around as well and see what happened. Mumph's membership was a very borderline call for me, though.

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My thinking was to illustrate how Vizh handles LL leadership differently from others.

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I got that. But at some point there should be a time when Vizh can't just delegate authoirty. A leader shouldn't pawn off the hard jobs to other people. We need to see why Vizh was put in charge over Mumph or (if he comes back) Hatty other than "well, he's got a big rolodex". At least in my opinion.

I hope to put Vizh through the same meatgrinder I reserve for all LL leaders sooner or later. Right now Vizh hasn't even appeared in a story since he became leader or faced any villainous plots. I'll need to write Vizh in those situations before I'll know for sure how that's going to work.

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I was hoping the story would come across as Vizh being able to handle something that his predecessors struggled with by virtue of his different skillset and MO, to show that he had something to bring to the party as leader.

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Who would have struggled with Hodgekiss other than CSFB! though? The last two leaders would have handed the guy his lunch, especially Mumph, just like he did here.

I think Hatman might have struggled with the political elements of the threat. He'd certainly baulk from using illegal or "bastardly" means of responding.

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However, I'm always very cautious with my "primary" characters about giving them too much spotlight at the cost of others.

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I have no problem with your characters being in the limelight. You're the one writng the story, and its not like your characters are dogs who add nothing to the narrative.

It bothers me a lot; but I accept that at the moment I'm probably not in the best of places to make critical judgements about writing or anything else.