Thread "Due East's Characters" in forum "Off Hours Forum"

Posted at 12:12PM, Dec. 21, 2007

Due East's characters aren't really based on real people so much as experiences. My wife and I are an interracial married couple (she's Black, I'm White) and we have two sons. Doug and Crystal are an interracial formerly married couple (she's Black, he's Asian/White) and they have two daughters. My wife and I agreed from the start that Asians are tremendously underrepresented in comics and that "Blasians" aren't that terribly uncommon in society. Thus the characters were developed…

Doug reminds me of my late father a lot, in some ways…including physically (even though my dad was obviously not Asian).

Sapphira Hu probably has a personality most similar to mine. That's why coming up with the actress' (Chance Powers') personality was a challenge, because it's not like mine at all!

Crystal is nothing like my wife! lol!

Carolyn Maye is loosely (very loosely) based on a friend of ours from church.

Nathan Maye (Carolyn's dad), Deon Maye (Carolyn's brother) and Jess (Crystal's co-worker) are not based on anyone in particular.

Lindsay Steury's name is based on an old friend of mine's name. But physically and personality-wise, she's entirely made up (which has been good, I think).

Posted at 1:12PM, Dec. 21, 2007

Sapphira strikes me as a closet Amazon warrior type; I hope we see more of her mettle in DueEast and Off Hours. She has the requisite glint in the eye. :)

Doug is very likeable and I find Phira's friend Lindsay a real delight to read…witty, charming–plays in comedy situations very well.

Posted at 1:12PM, Dec. 21, 2007

I like Lindsay a lot. She reminds me of people I've known, playful. :)

Posted at 6:12PM, Dec. 21, 2007

I like the idea of Chance and Aurora interracting. They seem to me to be equals in some very interesting ways. Strength and confidence. I like them a lot together! :)

Sandie

Posted at 2:12PM, Dec. 24, 2007

So is it ever confusing for you to place more of your mentality in a character that is the opposite gender?
I know at times it is for me.

Posted at 3:12PM, Dec. 24, 2007

Not really. Throughout most of my life, I related to women better than men. Maybe that's because I was mainly around my mom and older sister growing up while my dad worked full-time. Or maybe it's because I had rotten experiences with male bullies growing up (I know, what kid doesn't?). I don't know…but even though my first characters I ever drew were male superheroes, I never had a problem writing the female characters.

It's probably the same reason I don't have a problem playing female characters on occasion in video games/MMORPGs. :nervous:

So is it ever confusing for you to place more of your mentality in a character that is the opposite gender?
I know at times it is for me.

Posted at 5:12PM, Dec. 24, 2007

I like the idea of Chance and Aurora interracting. They seem to me to be equals in some very interesting ways. Strength and confidence. I like them a lot together! :)

Sandie

Thanks…there's still something I need to fine-tune with Chance that I can't put my finger on.

I do look forward to hopefully getting a chance to do several of the strong women together in future action scenes.