vikenticomeshome

[vikenticomeshome]

Just a Bit of Bonding Time for King and Razzmatazz

So, was anyone else disappointed that Razzmatazz and King didn't get any time together?

Yeah, I commissioned more kink art. This is from Celofantkl, who was a joy to work with throughout the process.

So, let's dig into what's going on here.

Razzma has fallen apart. See, this is what happens when you repress everything. It builds and builds, you struggle more and more, and then you explode. Well, okay, this isn't that deep. Razzma is super ticklish, that toe bondage leaves her unable to scrunch her toes, let alone get away from Godpoke, and Godpoke is a professional.

King is doing a little better. She has a reputation to uphold. Yeah, even if Godpoke's efforts alone weren't enough on their own, Razzma's laughter is super contagious. King is doomed. And any implication that Missy is watching this doesn't make King less doomed. Missy wants to hear her big tough knight laugh too.

And of course, we have out front-and-center star of the show, Megapon, resting on Godpoke's lap. Look at her. So majestic. She's silently pondering what's going on and wondering if her tongue can be used to break through King's defenses. It would be super effective. Oh, and Godpoke is here. Tickle-destroying cuties is a favorite past-time.

I really like all of the little details that went into this. King has long toe-nails to match her iconic long fingernails. Razzma gets shorter toe-nails. The God Complex looks incredible. Not sure how Godpoke managed to boot Inspekta out to have this kink-play session, but it probably involved a cardboard box and a trail of burgies.

[vikenticomeshome]

Oh no! Which one's the real Grujaja?!

Alexei needs your help to find out.

[vikenticomeshome]

She deserves it lol

[vikenticomeshome]

I like the texturing that was used to show the light reflecting off her. Very interesting to get a more 3-D look at Lulu.

Haven't painted in a while. Go, lady

[vikenticomeshome]

Let's consider another variable.

hey yuglsey, why’d you make Miss Mitternacht so hot?

I'm gay

[vikenticomeshome]

Pattypoke in 3D

@greatestgaygrove

I made you a promise.

[vikenticomeshome]

Cyberchase Meal Toys (3/?)

i managed to obtain the Double Sided Puzzle. So, now I'm four for four, with an asterisk by Movin' Matt, since i don't have his activity sheet.

I added high-resolution scans of the puzzle, as well as the bag, to the Internet Archive upload.

Anyway, here's the completed puzzle, front and back. The front shows some commonly-used stock models for the three Earth Brats and Digit. I'm not sure if this background was specially-made for this, or if it was another stock piece. It definitely follows the design language of the show's backgrounds. The back has a cool design with math equations.

And here is the puzzle dis-assembled.

I don't own the copyright on the art-work here. But I doubt anyone at EBC or Nelvana cares about a rare 22 year old toy. I can't stop you from using the scans to print your own.

And here's the bag. The front of the bag gives us a rare black-and-white Cyberchase logo. And then, the back gives us little drawings of the four toys in the set. We can see the year 2003 featured prominently.

At some point, I want to 3D-scan the other three toys, so that the shape can be preserved, and people can make their own. That will help keep these things from being forgotten.

[vikenticomeshome]

More Great God Grove Plushes from Offalteeth

Okay Banana, we've covered how orders and hierarchies work. Do you have any questions?

No thoughts? Head empty? Okay, we'll try again another time. What did you think of London After Midnight by the way? I know it's been hyped to hell, but I think...

Whoa! Ban, are you okay?! Hey! You just ran over my Banana! Don't do that!

Thank goodness drain-folk are cakey enough to tank hits like that. Hang on, i recognize that driver. What are you doing here?

Oh.

It's Capo! The oldest boy!

Anyone who's seen the events of the game, and knows how much trouble he caused, knows what i have to do, right?

I love you so much. You're safe here.

Wait a minute, there's someone else in here!

It's Alexei, the gourmet. How are you doing, sweetheart?

Somebody's had a very long, hungry journey.

And, there goes the campaign van. Patty, that's Inspekta's house, what are you doing?!

Oh, i can't stay mad at you, not with that adorable face.

Looks like these two have made up.

And, we have a dramatic entrance from Vibiano.

I love what you've done with your hair, honey.

Oops. He's not used to compliments.

And there's the Bizzyboys. Can you believe that Capo gave birth to all of them? Don't believe it for a second. Also, if you can tell which classic film poster i was referencing here, you get a gold star. I kinda gave up trying to pose the boys for it.

But wait, are we missing a boy?

Oh, hey, Grujaja! Welcome to the party!

Oh no. I was too loud. Hey, i know what to do.

Armored-division boys gotta stick together.

They really are a precious bean.

This is a quiet place, honey. I think you'll like it here.

Still, i get the feeling we're missing someone. Van driver (InspektaVan Animal)? Ferris-wheel-Bizzyboy-who-appears-to-just-be-Ban-with-his-glasses-off?

It's Godpoke! Wait... oh no!

Capochin: Get that Godpoke!

Pokey, run! You can't take on all of them!

Huh. Maybe you can.

Have some Patty-Poke on me.

i love all of them so much. The artist @offalteeth did an amazing job.

[vikenticomeshome]

Oh yes, Parsley absolutely needs this. He's a big ball of stress that doesn't know how to relax. So, it's good to have someone who can tickle him to pieces until all of that tension is gone. No doubt, he's feeling so lucky to have someone like Martin in his life.

Hello tumblr! I am sorry I haven't been super active on here, I've been better on my blue sky than anything 😖. But I finished a little tickle drawing, so I decided to share.

Parsley from Smile For Me getting some ticklish lovings after work:

[vikenticomeshome]

Any standard cup measurement would be absolutely massive when scaled-up to the size of the Gods. But there are still degrees to this.

what's ms. mitternacht's cup size asking for a friend

Alright anon time to log off and get yourself a little candy bar or something

[vikenticomeshome]

Cyberchase: Scientific Study from 1998 (3/3) [And the lost media that it details]

Alright, here's part three. And here are links back to part 1 and part 3.

part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/vikenticomeshome/790108386630991872/cyberchase-scientific-study-from-1998-1?source=share

part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/vikenticomeshome/790147253405908992/cyberchase-scientific-study-from-1998-2?source=share

Up to this point, I haven't shared the piece from the study's introduction, since it would have spoiled the surprise.

It talks about two story concepts that were shared with the fourth-grade audience. One of them was "Poddleville", which was expanded into the beloved pilot, "Poddlevile Case". The other one was "Bridge", which was scrapped and never shown again. Oh yeah, we got some lost media over here.

And here's a link to an article that I wrote for the Lost Media Wiki.

https://lostmediawiki.com/Cyberchase:%22Bridge%22(lost_production_material_for_unproduced_cartoon_episode;_1998)

Before we discuss the lost "Bridge" episode specifically, here's a piece of text that includes a synopsis of the show's overall story. This may well have been the first synopsis ever produced for the show.

BEGIN

The show is an animated adventure series about a team of kids in cyberspace. In each half-hour show, the wacky but nice ruler of Cyberspace, named Motherboard, finds herself with a serious problem. A group of wicked villains, who want control of cyberspace, have planted a computer virus inside of Motherboard, weakening her power. So she calls upon the help of humans. The humans that Motherboard sucks into Cyberspace to help her include girls named Julie and Inez and a boy named Kyle, all of whom are about your age.

In their adventures, the kids will be traveling to cool cybersites like ancient Egypt, under the sea, to a circus, to an alien site, and to many other exciting places in cyberspace. The villains trying to gain control of Motherboard's power include the evil Hacker and his villainous but stupid and goofy henchmen, Buggs and Delete. To restore Motherboard's power, Julie, Inez and Kyle must stop the villains in their mad mission to overcome Motherboard and win ultimate control of Cyberspace. The kids don't have Super Powers, instead they use brain power, their thinking skills and logic, to save the day and to undo the evil caused by the Hacker. In the show, the team discovers problem-solving and math are powerful tools that can outfox the villains.

END

Yeah, that sums it up. I guess this was before they had the kids accidentally help The Hacker open the breach for the virus.

It's also cool to see mentions of upcoming cyber-sites:

Ancient Egypt site that would become Pyramidia

Under-sea site that would become Aquari-yum

Circus site that probably became R-Fair City (although that was more of a carnival)

Alright, enough stalling. Let's talk about the two episode concepts that were shown to these lucky fourth-graders 27 years ago.

BEGIN

Researchers then played in alternating order for different groups audiotapes of two stories: Poddleville and Bridge. The following introduction was used:

You are going to hear a 10 minute audiotape of a story that will eventually be expanded into a 30 minute television show, using the animated characters that we just talked about. As I play the audiotape, I am going to show you some drawings that represent some of what you would see in the animated show. The final show will be a fully animated color cartoon show, not black and white, and not still, like the drawings that you will see today.

END

Needless to say, I would love to see both 10 minute audiotapes and these early black-and-white storyboards resurface. Yes, I know we have the full "Poddleville Case" pilot, but I like early production stuff. While the audiotapes might have been limited to narration, I have reason to suspect that there was some early voice-acting, possibly from the alternate voice-cast for the Poddleville Case pilot.

Of course, "Bridge" is more interesting, since the lost audiotape and storyboards are everything that was made for it. It's the only instance I know of where they acknowledged a scrapped episode.

I'm going to jump around a bit through the research paper. I want to grab every scrap of information that we have and then assemble it as best as I can. Mind you, some of these plot points come from the researchers, while other come from the children's recollections. It's possible that the kids got some details wrong.

Basic Story (as noted by the researchers): The bad guys wanted the elephant's diamond, and the kids were left trying to recover the elephant by building a bridge to the island where it had been left by the bad guys. [page 25]

Editor's note: Yeah, that sounds like a Hacker plot straight out of the show.

The elephant in danger (from a child's re-collection, not disputed by the researchers): They tried to save the elephant because if she would have walked and fallen in the water, those little rats would have ate her. So they saved her. [page 25]

Editor's note: I'm not sure what the "little rats" were. I wonder if they were supposed to have been pirahnas.

Problem Solving (from a child's re-collection, not disputed by the researchers): Inez lays on the ground to get measured at one point. There is also a mention of Inez using her dog's leash and Julie using a little box thing to measure sticks.

Editor's Note: The little box thing might have been a tape-measure.

First Attempted Bridge Solution (discussed by the fourth-graders, with some coaching from the researchers): The kids were going to use a trapeze seat (?) to form a bridge over the water to rescue the elephant. However, the trapeze seat didn't fit. [page 25]

Editor's Note: They don't explain why the trapeze seat didn't fit. Maybe it wasn't long enough to cross the gap in its intact form.

The failure of the first attempt (discussed by the fourth-graders, with some coaching from the researchers): Buggs and Delete broke the trapeze seat into sixteen squares. And then, the kids were able to use the pieces to build the bridge. They used alot of chewing gum to stick the pieces together. [page 25]

One of the fourth-graders pointed out that the villains ended up helping the heroes win, because breaking the trapeze seat into sixteen pieces ultimately made it usable for the complete bridge.

Editor's Note: Classic Buzz and Delete. They are so bad at their jobs that they end up accidentally helping the kids.

Rescuing the elephant and beating The Hacker: Once they built the bridge, the elephant still wouldn't cross until the kids started singing. Then, the elephant danced across the bridge. At some point the elephant swung its trunk and knocked The Hacker off the bridge. [page 24]

Editor's Note: Yeah, The Hacker being knocked off the bridge to meet the "little rats" is a very Cyberchase ending. Don't worry, he'll come back anyway. He always does.

Villain Behavior (from a child's re-collection, not disputed by the researchers): Apparently Hacker and co. had a helicopter, a motor-boat, and a jet-ski. The jet-ski had a saw attached to it, which some kids through was too cruel. [page 22]

Cybersquad behavior (from a child's re-collection, not disputed by the researchers): "Didn’t like the way the girl [Inez] was stuck up, when she said she just knew." [page 22]

"If they are fighting, they should at least say sorry." [page 22]

"I liked when the boy called her smarty-pants" [page 22]

Editor's Note: I don't even have to ask the writers to clarify who the "boy" and "her" are for this story beat. We all know that Matt/Kyle called Inez smarty-pants.

Real-world introduction? (from a child's re-collection, not disputed by the researchers): I liked the doggie that barked and begged and begged and begged Inez to take him for a walk. [page 22]

Editor's Note: I think there's a pretty good chance that this was part of the episode intro. This real-world scene would have starred Inez and her dog. I'm not immediately sure how this would have tied into the bridge building though.

Superpower fan-fiction (Off topic): One of the fourth-graders wanted to give the kids superpowers. "For all of them, they should have something, like Kyle could have shoes that ride on electricity and Julie could have a special brain power." [page 22]

Editor's Note: Anyway, here's hoping that some of the material from this session resurfaces some day.

[vikenticomeshome]

Cyberchase: Scientific Study from 1998 (2/3)

Here's a link to part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/vikenticomeshome/790108386630991872/cyberchase-scientific-study-from-1998-1?source=share

Alright, let's continue where I left off.

BEGIN

Buggs: This a drawing of Buggs, who works for the evil Hacker. Buggs is messy and always argues with Delete. Buggs doesn't like to work and is always looking for shortcuts. One way the kids trip Buggs up is by putting temptation in the way - Buggs can't resist candy, a TV, a videogame, you name it. Buggs and Delete are nasty and mean, but they're also goofy because they are a bit stupid and lazy. They usually make mistakes and make the Hacker really mad.

END

Does he have a zit on his face? And are those supposed to be hairs sticking up. What?

Was there anything that our fourth-grade audience liked about him?

BEGIN

(14) Like everything

(12) Like nothing

(8) Teeth sticking out; sharp teeth; big; match his meanness

(7) Antennas - cool shape; like they are in Dexter's lab on Cartoon Network

(4) Feet - small; cool tiny little shoes; stupis so fanny

(4) Can't resist candy

(4) Name - villains sometimes called Buggs in movies

(3) Can't resist video games

(3) Personality

(3) Hands - 3 fingers

(2) Eyes - look mean; aren't attached to his head

(2) Looks cool

(2) Mouth - big for candy that he can't resist; lips huge

(2) Short - like me

(2) Likes TV

(1) Way he is walking - looks like he is jumping or something

(1) Eyes - green, different

(1) Looks like description - bad, mean, looking for shortcuts, spy-looking

(1) Funny

(1) Big neck

(1) Sunglasses

(1) Arms - small

END

With fourteen kids saying that they like everything and twelve kids saying that they like nothing, he proved to be a divisive character.

But what did they hate about him?

BEGIN

(11) Like everything

(12) Mouth/Lips - too big; hangs out; doesn't fit face

(8) Limbs - don't fit his big body; looks like a fly

(5) Feet - too little; make a claw; make wheels for a robot

(5) Name - doesn't sound mean; make it Bug

(4) Eyes - should be same

(4) Pimple - remove; make bigger; make bigger or take off

(4) Like personality but not looks

(4) Too short; too plump; too round

(2) Spikes on body - remove; hair in armpits

(2) Antenna- look like a beehive

(2) Looks like dog

(1) Should have bad breath

(1) Wear a mask

(1) No neck

(1) Teeth - dorky

(1) Needs five fingers

END

The big point of criticism here was definitely his body proportions. Thankfully, the show-runners held firm, and we got the Buzz that we know today.

Alright, here's Delete.

BEGIN

Delete: This is a drawing of Delete, who works for the evil Hacker. Delete is fussy and a neat freak - always concerned about personal appearance. Delete has a terrible short-term memory because of electrical discharges that bounce between Delete's ears. Buggs gets mad at Delete for just about everything. Buggs and Delete are nasty and mean, but they're also goofy because they are a bit stupid and lazy. They usually make mistakes and make the Hacker really mad.

END

I don't ever remember Delete's poor short-term memory being part of his character in the proper show. Maybe the show-runners were concerned that making it one of the major traits of a villain would be mean to real people who had such a condition.

I don't have the condition, but I can give my thoughts. I think they could have made it work. The show leaves the mean-spirited stuff to The Hacker. As it stands, Delete gets plenty of love from the community. This site would have probably been divided over whether such a thing would count as positive or negative representation for people with disabilities. The only prominent disabled character that I can think of is Baskerville with his Kyphosis (hunched over back).

I don't remember him as a neat-freak in the main show, though this did come up much later in the Buzz and Delete shorts.

So, what did people like about Delete?

BEGIN

(14) Shoes

(12) Like everything

(10) Name - good for a bad guy cuz destroy bad guys; cool; or maybe 'Devilman;' or maybe 'Shift' or 'Chip'

(10) Electricity - lightning bolt

(9) Like nothing

(8) Wire - funny; tail; hearing aid

(5) Looks like real metal

(5) Teeth - cool; sharp

(4) Hands - really, really cool - looks like arthritis; like combs; like an E

(3) Bow tie

(3) Antennas

(2) Eyes - same size

(2) Looks like an alligator

(2) Eyebrows - go up

(1) Lazy

(1) Funny

(1) Glasses

(1) Mechnical

(1) Posture

(1) Creative

END

So, we get some lore explaining that even the designers didn't know what the plug and wire on his back were for. At least one of the kids proposed that it was a hearing aid. I know that, before hearing aid technology was miniaturized, they used to have a pocket control box with a wire leading up to the ear-piece. Perhaps some of the kids had family members who used the older style of technology.

And then, one of the kids suggested that Delete's hands showed signs or arthritis. Why did Delete attract so many disability head-canons?

Now, what did kids not like about Delete?

cw: r-slur

BEGIN

(17) Hands - too small; weird; too stiff looking; look like axes; look like deer antlers; look like rakes; should have white gloves of so neat

(13) Like everything

(9) Wire, Tail - remove; don't understand function; retarded

(2) Arms - too long; too straight

(4) Teeth - more of them; robots don't have teeth

(4) Shoes - don't look like robot; John Travolta shoes

(4) Bow tie - change or remove

(3) Electricity - looks stupid like a W

(3) Looks like alligator

(3) Legs - too short

(2) Nose - too big

(1) Is he supposed to be a be a boy or a girl? Delete sounds like a boy. (says female)

(1) Green stuff around antenna

(1) Can get killed too easily

(1) Looks like a cricket

END

"[Delete] can get killed too easily"

- Unknown fourth-grader's analysis of proto-Cyberchase, 1998 I love that line.

I'm a bit confused by this other line.

(1) Is he supposed to be a be a boy or a girl? Delete sounds like a boy. (says female)

What does that "(says female)" at the end mean? Did the person conducting the survey state that Delete was a girl, or did one of the fourth-grader's head-canon Delete as a girl?

Also, can any John Travolta fans back up the claim that Delete stole his shoes?

But I've kept you waiting long enough. Let's get to the two (yes, two) proposed designs for The Hacker.

BEGIN

Hacker: These are two versions of Hacker, who is the main villain of the show. He's wicked; he's smart, and he wants to rule all of cyberspace and take the power away from Motherboard. He makes fun of everyone and likes to play scary and wicked jokes just for fun. He has a huge ego. He thinks he's the greatest and wants more and more power. Hacker doesn't do the dirty work though. He sends his henchmen, Buggs and Delete, to do the jobs he won't do.

END

Well, now, this is weird to look at. In the end, the kids didn't strongly prefer one design over another. Both of them definitely give mad scientist vibes. While they both have the cape and the pocket full of pens, it's clear that Hacker's final form was most influenced by version #2. He has the bigger chest, as well as the tinier waist and legs.

Obviously, the head got a major re-design. He would not have been the same without his massive chin.

So, let's see the likes and dislikes for Hacker #1.

BEGIN

Like

(8) Cape

(7) Looks mean/evil

(4) Has big brain

(4) Head - big, bald

(2) Shoes/Boots/Feet

(3) 3 Pens/Things

(2) 4 Fingers, Hand

(2) Bracelet on arm

(2) Eyebrows, in V

(2) Eyes slant in

(2) More like a man

(2) Nose - Big/Long

Belt

Legs

Lips - like Buggs

Mole - ugly

Mouth

Neck

Pants

Skinnier than #2

Dislike

(4) Pimple, mole - looks like witch

(3) Jaw drops, long chin

Big head

Big nose

Fingernails look like cat

No personality

Too few hairs

Too many pens

Too skinny - should look more powerful

Too straight neck Too wacky

END

For comparison, let's see what they had to say about Hacker #2.

BEGIN

Like:

(5) Bright, Looks like he's thinking, Brainy

(4) Looks evil

(4) Nose - long, flingy

(4) Cape

(3) Looks like fish/shark

(2) Belt

(2) Eyes - wide open

(2) Teeth - sharp

Cute

Looks like he could fly

Pants

Pens - 2

Sneakier

Dislike:

(3) Looks like fish

(3) Legs too short

No brain

Nose

END

They got alot more feedback on Hacker #1 versus Hacker #2. I agree that the design for Hacker #1 looks more like a human, while the design for Hacker #2 looks more like a fish. The cape got plenty of love.

While nobody said it for this table, I see Hacker #1 as more of a frail old man, and I see Hacker #2 as more of a physical threat.

Alright, that's all of the character discussions taken care of. I'm going to make my third post to deal with the story discussions. That's where the surprise that I mentioned earlier comes in.

[vikenticomeshome]

Cyberchase: Scientific Study from 1998 (1/3)

Hello all,

I was digging around on the Cyberchase wiki, and I found a link to a 1998 research report when they were introducing the series to groups of fourth grade children. Of course, this was before the 2001 debut, and even before they finished animating the pilot. It had artwork that I had never seen before, and it contained a unique surprise that I'll go into later.

Here's a Wayback Machine link to the paper. I won't reproduce the full text of the study for this post, but I'll pull some pieces here and there.

I learned a few things. We all know about the original trio, of course. Who could forget Inez and her two friends, Julie and Kyle. Yeah, it's pretty common Cyberchase trivia that Jackie was originally Julie, and Matt was originally Kyle, before the characters were re-designed. But it's cool that this study was so far back that they were still using their old names.

What I didn't know until now was that Buzz used to be called Buggs. I wonder if the legal team had them change that to avoid getting smacked by whoever owned Bugs Bunny at the time.

As part of the study, they showed the fourth graders color and black-and-white drawing of the characters. They wanted to evaluate how appealing the characters were to the kids. Here's Julie.

BEGIN

Julie: These are drawings of Julie, an African-American girl who is 10 years old and lives in the city. She loves city noises and city life. She clowns around a lot. Julie likes to be dramatic and the center of attention, but she is also warm and friendly and has a big heart. Julie is a planner. She can see a path through a problem and see how Inez and Kyle's ideas can help solve a problem.

END

I just wanted to point out that Jackie is 10 here, while she was made 11 in the show proper.

This drawing is my favorite. She just got out of bed, Hacker's pulling some bullshit, and she's about to make this the series finale. This has the same energy of Matt with the Symmetrizer.

To help keep this readable, I'm going to reproduce the text from the table below. Let's see what people thought of Julie.

What appealed about Julie:

(10) Everything

Damn straight. Okay, it was a little more complicated than that.

BEGIN The table below presents categories of what kids liked. In parentheses is the number of students mentioning each item or characteristic.

(10) Everything

(8) Shoes - color, shape

(8) Way she dresses

(7) Personality

(7) Hair

(5) Teeth - clean, huge, has all of them

(4) Socks rolled down

(4) Her name

(3) Good heart

(2) Hair band

(2) Friendly

(2) Bracelet

(2) Kind

(2) City girl

(2) Definitely a cartoon face

(1) Open to new things

(1) Really dramatic

(1) Looks like a valley girl

(1) Expressions

(1) African

(1) I like how she's putting her hands on her hips and she sort of looks like a gypsy.

(1) Likes red

(1) I would like her for a friend, She can teach me lots of things. END Her unique shoes definitely won people over, as did her hair and personality. And the last kid, who wanted to be friends with Jackie, was very sweet.

The kids did have some negative points though.

BEGIN

The table below presents what did not appeal about Julie.

(16) Hair - don't like spikes/sticks/things sticking up; looks like big cactus; bad hair day; tacky

(10) Shoes - heeled shoes, not 90's style; how can she chase villains in heels? stick up in front; make flat heels; too thick

(10) Eyes - different sizes; too yellow; bulge out

(10) Like everything

(7) Lump on back of neck/back

(6) Legs - too skinny

(6) Ears - crosses on ears

(4) Name - too normal; should have Afr-Am name; too unusual

(4) Jewelry - too much, too bulgy, too big, not Afr-Am.

(4) Socks rolled down

(3) Should dress current style

(3) Face shape

(2) Clowns around too much-you can get in trouble that way.

(3) When gets mad, screams really load / looks bad mad.

(2) Bracelet - too big

(2) Arms - too skinny

(2) Dislike all

(1) Not straight posture

(1) Draws attention to self

(1) She is fancy schmancy

(1) Earrings

(1) Four fingers

END I appreciate the kids who pointed out that Julie is going to have trouble chasing villains with the massive heels on her shoes.

Her hair also kinda does look like a cactus.

I didn't notice the lump on the back of the colored-in Julie until now. I think that's supposed to be hood for her sweatshirt, but it does look weird.

Of course, we're all used to the oddities of the pilot, like the mis-matched eyes and the crosses for the ear-holes. But some of these kids were not having it.

Later revisions on Jackie cleaned the cactus spines out of her hair, removed the hood (or whatever that lump was supposed to be), changed the color on her sweater and skirt, and tweaked her jewelry.

If we bring in a black-and-white image of an earlier revision of Julie from a behind-the-scenes document, we have the full evolution from Julie to Jackie.

Anyway, let's go see Nezzie.

BEGIN Inez: These are drawings of Inez, an Hispanic girl who is 11 years old and lives in a suburb. She has a clever and quirky sense of humor. She's school-smart but not so street-smart; she doesn't have as much common sense as Kyle and Julie, who sometimes have to protect her from situations she gets into. Inez likes to work on and analyze problems but gets frustrated when things don't go her way.

END

Huh. Inez was originally 11 years old. Meanwhile, Kyle/Matt and Julie/Jackie were both 10 years old. So, Inez wouldn't have been the baby of the bunch in this version.

But what's this line?: "She's school-smart but not so street-smart; she doesn't have as much common sense as Kyle and Julie, who sometimes have to protect her from situations she gets into."

I get that she's a huge nerd, and I do like the dynamic of Matt and Jackie coming to back her up. But that line about her not having as much common sense as the other two is bizarre. In the pilot, Jackie was the more out-there character. Inez has always been very grounded.

But what did our crowd of fourth-graders think of Nezzie's debut? What did they like?

BEGIN

(12) Way she dresses

(11) Glasses - one lens larger than other; wears them; different; square; color

(9) School-smart

(8) Name - wacky not everyday; good; cool; different; fits her

(8) Everything

(7) Hair - fits her; pointy; straight

(6) Shoes / Boots

(5) Like nothing

(4) Personality

(4) Smile - cool

(3) Cartoony; wacky

(3) Fun; funny; humorous

(2) Pretty

(1) Arms - long

(1) Ears

(1) Eyes

(1) Mouth - Halloween

(1) Expressions

(1) 4 fingers

(1) Face - good

(1) Looks like a detective

(1) Looks like a science girl

END

People really loved her outfit, especially her glasses. I never really considered her name to be "wacky", though. Was it more wacky 27 years ago?

Anyway, let's hear what they didn't like.

BEGIN

(14) Way she dresses - colors don't go togather; shorts - too baggy, too long, not 90's; need pockets; button for vest; vest looks inflated; out of style

(12) Fingers - don't look real; not 5 fingers; want even cartoons to look real

(9) Hair - Lines look like bugs; black hair if Hispanic; stupid looking; pointy; longer and curly

(8) Shoes - Bad colors; lumpy; stupis looking; should be tennis

(7) Glasses - square shape; lens different sizes; look weird ; needs contacts

(7) Ears - have crosses

(6) Like everything

(5) Bosses people; do everything her way

(5) Frustrated easily; sort of a dope; needs to take a timeout

(4) Eyes - different sizes; look dead

(4) Arms and legs too skinny

(3) Needs to be nicer

(2) Posture

(2) Nerdy; geeky science nerd

(1) Looks dirty like just played outside

(1) Doesn't look like she would get frustrated

(1) Nose - Rudolph shape

(1) Teeth - has none

(1) Needs socks

(1) Drawn un-evenly

(1) Complains alot

(1) Dislike all

(1) Not street-smart

END

So, we've got a pretty even split on the first item for both tables. Twelve kids said that they liked how Inez dressed, but then fourteen kids said that they didn't like it.

Admittedly, we don't have all of the material that was provided to this group. But I have no idea what led any of the kids to call Inez a dope. But the funniest one was "Nose - Rudolph shape". What?!

Unlike Jackie, there isn't a huge difference between the black-and-white Inez from the earlier behind-the-scenes document and the one from this research paper. But we can still get the full evolution.

I know Matt hates waiting, so let's get him (Kyle) next.

BEGIN

Kyle: These are drawings of Kyle, a white boy who is 10 years old and lives in the country, not in the city or suburbs. Kyle is an explorer. He's curious and enthusiastic. He's eager and seeks new experiences, often jumping into doing something without thinking about consequences. He likes to collect things to use for solving problems. Kyle is constantly trying to show the team that his way is the best way.

END

Alright, he had the least color changes of any of the kids. They got the sweater, jeans, backpack, and sneakers. His feet were much smaller back then, though.

But what did the kids think of him?

BEGIN

(14) Like everything

(14) Way he dresses - modern; jeans look real; wide pants cool; like my jeans; like Elvis

(9) Name

(7) Backpack - can put a lot of exploring stuff in there; cute

(6) Cool

(6) Explorer; likes adventures

(6) Like nothing

(4) Picks up useful things along the way; collector

(4) Hair

(3) Gets into trouble

(2) Shoes

(2) Eyes - go really big; different sizes

(2) Facial expression

(2) Eager to do new things

(1) Ears pierced

(1) Cartoon face

(1) Lives in country

(1) Only 4 fingers

(1) Shirt - green

(1) Sounds like me

(1) Teeth

END

Way he dresses- modern; jeans look real; wide pants cool; like my jeans; like Elvis

What part of his outfit has anything to do with Elvis? That's Hacker's thing.

Alright, let's see what our fourth-grade audience didn't like.

BEGIN

(15) Needs 5 fingers

(13) Eyes - different sizes; too big

(11) Shoes - Use Nikes; too small; weird; color; shape

(7) Ears - crosses

(6) Hair - should be smooth; too long; orange color; sticks out; not current style

(6) Liked everything

(6) Backpack or vest?

(5) Way he dresses - baggy jeans; pant cuffs bad

(5) Mouth - teeth-lips strange

(5) Doesn't think of consequences

(5) Know it all; thinks he's smarter

(4) Doesn't look like a country boy - needs straw hat; collared shirt; Not baggy jeans

(2) Posture

(2) Name - not country name

END

They definitely took into account the feedback on Matt's shoes/feet being too small. They are much larger in the proper show.

As much as I enjoy Matt as a character, I do understand where some of the students were coming from, with regard to him not looking like a country boy. I wonder what that alternate universe looks like.

Now that I look at it, this version of Matt's backpack does look a bit like Nezzie's vest. I think the problem here is that there isn't a clear defining line between the main backpack and the straps. Well, here's the evolution from Kyle to Matt.

There will be at least two more parts to this. The research paper also had some art for Buzz, Delete, and especially Hacker. Here's part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/vikenticomeshome/790147253405908992/cyberchase-scientific-study-from-1998-2?source=share

And I haven't forgotten about the biggest surprise from this paper. I'm not the first one to find it, but I'm still going to make a big deal about it when we get there.

[vikenticomeshome]

The Property of Hate: A Guide on Picking Up your Hero

Note: This instructional guide contains some minor spoilers for "The Property of Hate". We needed a real Hero to provide the examples after all.

So, you've hooked yourself a Hero, and you are ready to go out and save the worlds together. Excellent work. While this was the simplest task in your to-do list, it is essential to achieving your goal. One of your most important tasks will be picking up this Hero. The illustrated guide will work through the dos-and-don'ts of this tasking.

Now, you're probably asking yourself, why in the several hells would I need to pick up The Hero? After all, you've heard that The Hero is strong and independent. You probably expect that you won't need to do much at all. They will charge in, kill the villain with the Power of Love (or some other WMD), before you even have time to get out of your chair, right?

Well, this is a common misconception. Heros come in all shapes and sizes. And they tend to be much softer and squishier in practice. This is important, as they need to be able to open their heart to the world that they are saving. A Hero must be able to love at least some part of the world. Otherwise, the aforementioned WMD is disarmed.

Sure, a cold, unfeeling, Hero will get results at first...

...but the world will respond in kind. And you will want to be very far away when this happens.

In truth, picking up your Hero is one of the best ways to show that you care. And if your Hero is particularly short, it may be necessary to navigate obstacles.

Important: Do not underestimate the short Hero. Many great evils are known to be vulnerable to kicks in the shins. And many handlers, such as yourself, share this vulnerability.

So, where do we begin?

This is a standard technique for humanoid Heros. A humanoid Hero's torso is a very sturdy, stable section. If you seize them under their armpits, like so, their weight can be distributed across their shoulders as well. The main pitfall here is that you do put some pressure on their ribs. While it is important to form a genuine attachment with your Hero, you must be careful not to squeeze their ribs too hard, as it can be quite painful.

Important: This technique is not ideal if your Hero is some sort of Terrier. This position puts undo pressure on their limbs. The nape of the neck is a more advisable grab point for Heros in that category.

This technique of holding your Hero under your arm can be quite reasonable, depending on the circumstances. If your Hero is compact enough that you can hold them in this position without any of their limbs dragging on the ground, then this works. However, current research results are divided on its efficacy for Heros that are suffering chest wounds. Some information suggests that this pose may apply sufficient pressure to serve as emergency first-aid, in order to keep the Hero's insides on their inside. Other information suggests that this position increases the risk of the Hero's heart falling out.

This method supports your Hero's posterior and legs. It is useful for helping them balance.

This method is highly encouraged. Not only does it make your Hero look like a weird bug, but it evenly distributes their body weight along their sturdy torso. It is generally a calming position that lets your Hero know that they are safe in your hands.

Important: As tough as your Hero may be, they are bound to have a few ticklish spots. Even the small hand adjustments necessary when holding your Hero can render them a squirmy mess. While this can be valuable for bonding, it is important not to drop them. So, make sure you keep a good grip on them throughout the procedure.

This method initially appears useful, as we have a compact Hero prepared for transport. However, while this method does provide support for your Hero's legs and posterior, it is difficult to maintain a good grip. Despite your Hero's best efforts, it is not at all like holding a standard jar of marmalade. And it relies on your Hero being able to hold this compacted position, else everything becomes unbalanced.

This position is fairly unwieldy in the long-term. However, it can be useful in emergency situations, where your Hero is about to do something stupid. Notice that the Hero pictured here is unable to pull away, as you work to talk sense into them.

This is one of the absolute worst ways to hold a humanoid Hero. We can see that this Hero is not being provided with accurate support at her back, posterior, or legs. The act of grabbing her by the back collar of her sweater is also choking her.

While most efforts to hold your Hero will be about transportation, sometimes your Hero is not safe for transportation. A common occurrence is a Hero who has become waterlogged, as this presents a serious risk of dissolving. The best treatment is, of course, Amour, to absorb the excess tears. However, in the absence of Amour, it is essential to hold your Hero close and let them cry out some of the excess tears. Keeping their head still is of the utmost importance, as this is where the bulk of the tears will be present. Naturally, you must not hold your Hero too tight, as this runs the risk of tearing their especially fragile body. For what it's worth, your Hero is unlikely to accidentally hurt themselves in this state, as they will be too weak to move.

This is an excellent way to hold your Hero. It provides support to their legs and back, while also allowing them to hold onto your shoulders for support. When your Hero holds onto you like this, it is a sign of earned trust.

Sleep is an especially important part of Hero work, as an exhausted Hero has very limited capabilities. Once you are familiar with how to properly lift your Hero, putting them to bed is one of the best ways to show that you care.

Let's examine a common scenario. Your Hero was goofing off and has now mostly disappeared into a ball-pit. Only their feet are visible now. How do you go about picking them up?

In this situation, you need to use one of their visible ankles to lift them out to safety. This will result in your hero being briefly upside-down. This is not harmful. In fact, it is encouraged. While we would usually encourage you to lift your Hero by their sturdy torso, you shouldn't dig through the ball-pit to find the rest of them. You don't know what angle your Hero is resting at, so you cannot grab their torso accurately. Inaccurate grabs may cause your Hero to sink further into the ball-pit, exacerbating the problem.

Every Hero is a little different, and it will take time to figure out what works best. Eventually, handling them safely will become second-nature.

[vikenticomeshome]

Once again, Capo has to do all the work.

obsessed with all the steam cards but especially the good for nothing one <3

[vikenticomeshome]

Or he sells the campaign van.

Would capochin ever make it big on the race tracks?

No, he'd bet all his money on a losing horse and have to sell himself

[vikenticomeshome]

Inspekta Plush from Makeship

Here we go.

A role reversal, featuring the Bananathaniel plush by Offalteeth.

Picking up da lit-tel baws.

Goofing off.

More goofing off, but wait, who is that?

Where did this selfie come from?

Daddy Jimothan would be so proud. Parsley getting bitches. Parslet Botch (and Shadow Habit) by ToyLandByOrlova.

His legs aren't quite long enough to ride the K8 plush.

Banana, this isn't your photo-shoot!

More cuddles.