Episode 478 - Pity da fool!
May 11, 2020
Fools are an iconic character trope and I wanted to explore them. They're a lot more varied and interesting than is readily apparent. There's a LOT more too a fool than what something like TV tropes suggests, unless you get into the subtypes… And that's what we explored in this free-form discussion. I introduced the idea in the Patreon only video where Tantz, Banes, Pt and I try and get a handle on the idea for the first time, so that's a good behind the scenes insight into what goes on!
Topics and Show Notes
We worked out that there are many different kinds of fools. The classic idea of "The Fool" comes from King Leer where the fool speaks truth to power, like the little boy who tells the emperor that he's naked, or a lucky, untouchable character that succeeds regardless and gets automatic protection from those around them; reminiscent of the time when mentally disabled people were seen as being "touched by god".
They can be sidekicks like Barney on the Flintstones, or main characters like The Tick, or Maxwell Smart. They can be lovable rogues like Flashman or the famous Scaramouche character. They can be innocents like Andy from Parks and Rec, or they can have an altogether different purpose like Jerry in Parks and Rec: he's a sort of a court-Jester style fool but his role is to show the darker sides of the otherwise good characters as they make fun of him.
Who is your favourite fool? And do you make use of a fool in your work?
The musical feature this week that Gunwallace has given us is theme to Cragwater: Magical, bucolic fairy music. Lush green idyllic meadows on high mountains overlooking sunlit valleys, washed in golden brilliance, walled by faint purple mountains that fade into the distant hazy sky. A brook glitters at the centre as it bubbles and flows between the rocks and grass. This music evokes high places, greenery, and sunlight.
Topics and shownotes
Links
TV Tropes on The Fool - https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheFool
Featured comic:
SteveAndMelvin - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/news/2020/may/05/featured-comic-steveandmelvin/
Featured music:
Cragwater - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Cragwater/, by TallFroyo , rated T
Special thanks to:
Pit Face - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/PIT_FACE/
Gunwallace - http://www.virtuallycomics.com
Tantz Aerine - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Tantz_Aerine/
Ozoneocean - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/ozoneocean
Banes - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Banes/
kawaiidaigakusei - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/kawaiidaigakusei/
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Episode 426 - Sidekicking
May 13, 2019
Inspired by Emma Clare's Friday newspost about supporting characters, today we're discussing sidekicks! Sidekicks are a useful character type that are used in so many different ways. They can be a specialised type of supporting character that are also a main character or they can be the main protagonist in some cases. In comics sidekicks came in during the early days as a way of giving juvenile readers their own insert character who they could identify with… Bucky Barnes, Jimmy Olsen, Robin etc. They had other functions like giving the hero someone to save, providing commentary, reaction and exposition. Later when that kind of sidekick fell out of favour they became superheroes in their own right.
Episode 197 - The sidekicks take over the QC
Dec 14, 2014
Carrying on from last weeks Quackcast inspired by Kawaiidaigakusei's Thoughtful newspost article "An Ode to Sidekicks", this time the DD community weighs in on the subject and they give us their wise, educated and highly considered expert opinions on the subject of the sidekick in stories! Again Kawaii joins Banes and I, but this time she practices her amazing talent for amusing voices, so for the first time since Skoolmunkee there's someone other than Banes and I doing a voice. Rachel Maddow drops in and even Matt Foley to tell us about his VAN down by the RIVER! All in all what people have to say about the different aspects of sidekicks in fiction is really quite interesting, have a listen and see! Oh, and Gunwallace's epic theme for Harkovast is fantastic, I can't wait for a Peter Jackson Movie adaptation!
Episode 196 - The Sidekick-cast
Nov 30, 2014
The topic of the Quackcast was inspired by Kawaiidaigakusei's Thoughtful newspost article "An Ode to Sidekicks" that examined the varied subject of The Sidekick. She was inspired by Geoff Peterson, the much loved animated skeleton on the Craig Ferguson show and she went on to examine some sidekick types using DD comics as examples. In our Sidekick-cast we cast the net a bit wider. We try and have a chat about all the different types of sidekicks we can think about (and there are a LOT); sidekicks in books, films, comics, talkshows... Heroic sidekicks, villain sidekicks, lackeys, lieutenants, backups, stand-ins, partners and all the various types in between and beyond! We mentions such obvious luminaries such as Dynomutt, Scoobydoo, Scrappy Doo, Dr Watson, Robin, a swathe of Dr Who Companions, and more! Banes is hilarious, Kawaii is insightful, Ozoneocean is opinionated ad boorish.
