I'm probably breaking all the rules of art, right now, but...

[capri0mni]

(And I may be boring you all to tears with it, but...)

It's the only thing scratching around in my brain, right by now:

So, I've got this idea for a comic book character, who, thanks to in utero medical intervention, becomes an unintentional reptilian/human chimera, and the reptilian parts of him half-express traits of an ancient, now extinct, creature. Yes, I know that's scientifically impossible, with real science, but this is Comic Book science*

So I have two choices floating around in my head. I can't decide whether I should make the ancient breakthrough a pterodon-y creature or a microrapter-ish one.

The microraptor had wobblier flight, and would be especially so for a character who legs don't work according the default model, but if I can handwave the science to make the wings grow in the first place, I can probably handwave the aerodynamics, too. The pterodon is a stronger flyer, but its wings are very batlike (although bat wings are supported by all five fingers, and pterodon wings are only supported by one very, very, long finger), so might appear less original, especially considering the current climate of pop culture.

Since both options are, I think, equally (im)plausible, the only real question to ask is: "Which is cooler?" Hence this poll:

[Poll #1232850]

(In the end, I will choose for myself, based on which is more fun to play with, but I am curious as to what you think)

---

*It's no less scientific than the bite of a radioactive (or genetically modified) spider causing silk glands to sprout from human wrists. It would be more acurate, spiderly speaking, to have them sprout from anal glands (Now, isn't that an image of Peter Parker that's worthy of brain brillo?).

Comments

[indefatigable42.livejournal.com]

Microraptor! Especially if Our Hero can learn to fly like a biplane. That would be way cooler.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yes, but that's just it, biplane flight relies on the Microraptor's s legs doing exactly what the microraptor wants them to do. ...And Our Hero's legs don't work the way they should... That's the central point I'm working with...

Any flight would be monoplane, I think... (unless he can make a "flying crutch" for himself... hmmm)

[indefatigable42.livejournal.com]

Pleh, sorry, skimmed that a bit too fast.

By the rules of comic book science, you could plausibly have him working those stunted muscles hard to learn how to steer with them. Yeah, his legs don't work the way they should for walking. But for steering in flight... who knows. All he needs to be able to do, probably, is shift his weight using his abdominal and inguinal muscles.

The doctors who wanted to bind his wings are not that creative, and are probably thinking in terms of 'legs that can't walk can't be good for anything else either'.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

The doctors who wanted to bind his wings are not that creative, and are probably thinking in terms of 'legs that can't walk can't be good for anything else either'.

Heh. Been there, done that, and know that this is trufax.

When I got out of college, I applied for a job at the local Independant Living Center. I didn't get the job, but one of the things that, I think, earned me a second interview was my answer to this question:

"What's the philosophical difference between the independant living approach, and 'rehabilitation'?"

My answer was that "rehabilitation" tries to teach you how to be as "normal" as possible, and independant living counseling just focuses on solving the problems you're facing -- that any solution that works is normal.

A rehabilitator will focus on getting you to walk across the room, balance on one crutch, and reach up and turn on the light switch with your hand. And independant living counselor will say: "If it's easier for you crawl across the room, and turn on the switch with your nose, let's get an electrician in to move your switches floor level."

As for the mechanics of biplane flight, what triggered my "hmm" was that he could make a second aerofoil for himself that he could hold and control with his human hands and arms. And then I remembered that one idea I had was that he carry a kind of skateboard with him when he flies, so that he can travel by wheels when he lands, and maybe that skateboard could have an aerofoil leading edge....

(spellcheck)

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

Also, Microraptor just sounds cool. [/shallow] :P

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Hey, how cool in sounds totally counts

[scarfman]

The one that's more fun for you to play with.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yeah.
That's what I will end up doing, no matter what...

But yesterday, while searching Google Images for skeletal pictures of shoulders (that's the bit I think will be most difficult to draw), I came across the flickr photostream I linked to, above (for the illustration of pterodon-y stuff), and now, I'm rather hooked on that guy's art. He's a doctoral student working on pterodon physiology (just recently got his article published in a national science mag), and also a geeky fan of Victorian novels.

And now, I want to see a movie about pterodons, with the creatures built by the Henson Creature shop -- really.

So the way it's going now, it may be that both could be equally fun.

In the end, end, I think the choice that will be the most fun will be the one that matches his peronality, and the overall mood of the story. And neither of those things are at all fixed, yet.

PS: this is the picture (http://flickr.com/photos/markwitton/1386125619/in/set-72057594082038974/) that Google Images search brought up, and that's the one that made me think "Muppet!! :::Squee:::!!" The last time I thought about pterodons (if I thought of them at all) was back when when I was the age every kid is fascinated by dinosaurs... and I don't think we knew they were furry back then...