Megathread The Lara-Su Chronicles and Ken Penders topic - READ PAGE 164, POST 4096

[Disonoid 3000]

To add to the language cluster-crap, Ken's excuse for the bad dialogue in the previews is that the characters aren't native English speakers;

 

 

 

 

 

For the stories and the characters to work for me, I don't think of them as funny animals. Instead, I think of them as another species along the lines of the Klingons or Wookies or Minbari and portray them in a way that's unique to them. Listen to someone who's not a native-born American speak the English language as we speak it, and you'll find many times the phrasing is off simply because we have so many idioms they have no comparable translation for.

http://www.kenpenders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2549&start=25

[Agie]

Yeesh. I feel like I could have come up with a better excuse, and I'm not good at coming up with those.

 

Like saying the people here are bad at speaking or something.

[Zaysho]

To add to the language cluster-crap, Ken's excuse for the bad dialogue in the previews is that the characters aren't native English speakers;

 

 

http://www.kenpenders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2549&start=25

 

Yeeeaaah, that doesn't fly. Unless it's a very specific case where the character is meant to not be a native speaker of that language... it's generally assumed/accepted by readers that whatever language the characters do speak is transcribed into something readers can understand. And in instances where characters are speaking different languages, a translation usually written <like this> in place of the other language, unless the idea is give the reader a sense of isolation experienced by the characters (such as in Adrian Tomine's Shortcomings, in which characters speaking Korean and Japanese do not have their dialogue translated and the main character doesn't understand... and it's meant to confuse the readers as well).*

 

*This is admittedly a bit of a confusing description...

 

It boils down to intention, and in this case it's just Pen being lazy and refusing to admit it. Astounding.

 

Seriously, the effort it takes for him to come up with these bogus explanations, he could spend refining the fucking thing. I seriously can't fathom how he lasted in the professional world as long as he did, but it almost gives me hope for myself.

[Disonoid 3000]

Has Penders ever made an excuse that wasn't really stupid in a really obvious way? 

[Ellipsis-Ultima]

Soo the LSC is a tribe of Echidnas with mixed parts of the past and the future. A science experiment that went wrong IMO.

[horridus]

To add to the language cluster-crap, Ken's excuse for the bad dialogue in the previews is that the characters aren't native English speakers;

 

 

http://www.kenpenders.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2549&start=25

Oh-ho, oh-ho wow did I ever miss that. Wow. I've seen some excuses from the guy, but that one is a real whopper. Hot damn. 

 

Has Penders ever made an excuse that wasn't really stupid in a really obvious way? 

 

Nope. For a guy who likes to claim he doesn't 'talk down to his readers', he generally has a really low estimate of others' intelligence. 

[Verb & Noun]

"The characters language looks/sounds unnatural and stilted because they don't speak English and the translation isn't perfect"

 

I love how this is literally becoming a Korean knock-off right down to that point.

[Gabz Girl]

*snort* I don't think anyone is going to believe that, Penders. He's making up excuses for almost everything now.

[Nestor]

Managed to have a bit of a conversation with Ken on Twitter:

 

 

Ulic Qel-Droma [Nestor]: Sorry Ken, I don't understand - how can this story link in to a franchise you don't own? How will you avoid brand confusion?

 

One's an echidna nicknamed Knux on a floating island on the planet mobius whose job is guarding the island's source of power...

 

 ...the other's an e'chydn'a nicknamed K'Nox on a floating island on the planet mobius whose job is guarding the source of power.

 

I don't understand how this doesn't infringe on copyright if Shade is an infringement on Julie-Su, despite the fact...

 

...that Shade and Julie-Su have completely different personalities, backstories, motivations and look entirely dissimilar.

 

Ken Penders: No confusion. SEGA doesn't claim ownership of my story and/or characters or demonstrate any desire to use them.

 

 

Not... sure that answer addresses was what I was actually asking... I'll give him the benefit of the doubt about not answering the Shade/Julie-Su questions though, I don't use Twitter much and may have not replied correctly to him so that his feed will pick up my additional tweets - but I have sent a new set of replies including them and will update as they get answered (or not)....

[horridus]

Managed to have a bit of a conversation with Ken on Twitter:

 

 

Ulic Qel-Droma [Nestor]: Sorry Ken, I don't understand - how can this story link in to a franchise you don't own? How will you avoid brand confusion?

 

One's an echidna nicknamed Knux on a floating island on the planet mobius whose job is guarding the island's source of power...

 

 ...the other's an e'chydn'a nicknamed K'Nox on a floating island on the planet mobius whose job is guarding the source of power.

 

I don't understand how this doesn't infringe on copyright if Shade is an infringement on Julie-Su, despite the fact...

 

...that Shade and Julie-Su have completely different personalities, backstories, motivations and look entirely dissimilar.

 

Ken Penders: No confusion. SEGA doesn't claim ownership of my story and/or characters or demonstrate any desire to use them.

 

 

Not... sure that answer addresses was what I was actually asking... I'll give him the benefit of the doubt about not answering the Shade/Julie-Su questions though, I don't use Twitter much and may have not replied correctly to him so that his feed will pick up my additional tweets - but I have sent a new set of replies including them and will update as they get answered (or not)....

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Can someone please reply and tell him that doesn't answer his question? I'm legitimately curious to see what excuse he'd used.

[Verb & Noun]

He'll ignore it or answer it in a way that doesn't answer it. It's just what he does.

[Zero Dozer]

That idiot just changed names thinking he was doing some loophole abuse.

Denounce it to SEGA and watch as sht falls down around him.

[horridus]

That idiot just changed names thinking he was doing some loophole abuse.

Denounce it to SEGA and watch as sht falls down around him.

 

SEGA doesn't care. And with good reason. Between the utterly shoddy quality of his work, his inability to get anything done in a timely manner and the fact the only people who have any knowledge of his work despise him. He has about as much chance as succeeding in this warped endeavor as I have of becoming the Emperor of Japan. They don't really need to do anything. 

[Zero Dozer]

SEGA doesn't care. And with good reason. Between the utterly shoddy quality of his work, his inability to get anything done in a timely manner and the fact the only people who have any knowledge of his work despise him. He has about as much chance as succeeding in this warped endeavor as I have of becoming the Emperor of Japan. They don't really need to do anything. 

 

I wish it to be true. Archie fucked the entire comics' universe so he could do the shit he wanted. I WANT HIM TO FAIL.

 

THEY REBOOTED AN UNIQUE UNIVERSE INTO A SHITTY CLONE OF THE GAMES.

[Zaysho]

I wish it to be true. Archie fucked the entire comics' universe so he could do the shit he wanted. I WANT HIM TO FAIL.

 

THEY REBOOTED AN UNIQUE UNIVERSE INTO A SHITTY CLONE OF THE GAMES.

 

To be fair, and I'm almost tired of reiterating this statement but it's important, Archie didn't have a choice in the matter. The lawsuit and subsequent dismissal of said lawsuit basically worked against them and Penders lucked out. They had no choice but to torch the continuity. They didn't do it just 'cause or because Penders asked them nicely. Penders presented impossible terms that flew right in the face of their agreement with SEGA and rather than risk that over a few characters, they did what they had to do. I think it would've been far worse if they decided to stick with the old world and just write around shit because of this jackass or, worse, throw their hands in the air, run out the license, and give this clown the satisfaction of being the end of the comic altogether.

 

To be honest, I do miss the old world, but it's gone and that's it. I've found there's enough to like about the new, in fact so much of it is stuff I wish the games would do, that I can at least not sigh and bemoan what was lost when I read the new stories (when I re-read the old stories on the other hand...).

 

In any case, I'm sure Penders is going to get his one way or the other. LSC will be in the same pile as the Lost Ones and who knows what else soon enough.

[goku262002]

SEGA doesn't care. And with good reason. Between the utterly shoddy quality of his work, his inability to get anything done in a timely manner and the fact the only people who have any knowledge of his work despise him. He has about as much chance as succeeding in this warped endeavor as I have of becoming the Emperor of Japan. They don't really need to do anything. 

In other words they are keeping an eye on it but its not a threat, if by god's chance this dumb as all hell project ever does become a threat to their brand they will financially lop its head off with an army of Japanese bulldog lawyers. he may be on his cocky high horse for somehow skirting by and "winning" the Archie lawsuit but he can't do that shit with SEGA.

Take comfort in the fact that win or lose Penders isn't going to succeed from this project, its just a fun train wreck to watch.

[Cradily Lover]

So... Long time lurker here, finally decided to create an account.

 

Anyway, I don't think you're all giving enough credit to Mr. Penders, his work has given me and many others a great deal of entertainment. For example, I was having a pretty bad day yesterday, so when I decided to check up on this thread and saw that Ken had revealed he would be calling The Praetorian "K'Nox", I burst out laughing and rethought my own life.

 

I mean, my life may not be great, but at least I'm not Ken Penders.

[Verb & Noun]

Technically he's not doing anything illegal, you know. He has changed them 'enough' from their previous designs. Just because we can obviously see the roots (having experienced them), they are 'different' now.

 

And honestly, his story is nothing like anything in Sonic, so that's not something he really has to worry about.

 

They're just extremely unappealing as well.

 

 

 

So... Long time lurker here, finally decided to create an account.

 

Anyway, I don't think you're all giving enough credit to Mr. Penders, his work has given me and many others a great deal of entertainment. For example, I was having a pretty bad day yesterday, so when I decided to check up on this thread and saw that Ken had revealed he would be calling The Praetorian "K'Nox", I burst out laughing and rethought my own life.

 

I mean, my life may not be great, but at least I'm not Ken Penders.

 

That's the only reason I stick around, really.

[Disonoid 3000]

So... Long time lurker here, finally decided to create an account.

 

Anyway, I don't think you're all giving enough credit to Mr. Penders, his work has given me and many others a great deal of entertainment. For example, I was having a pretty bad day yesterday, so when I decided to check up on this thread and saw that Ken had revealed he would be calling The Praetorian "K'Nox", I burst out laughing and rethought my own life.

 

I mean, my life may not be great, but at least I'm not Ken Penders.

 

Yeah, that's pretty much my reason for following the guy. I imagine years from now we'll still be getting semi-regular, hilarious Penders antics to point and laugh at. Hard to believe he isn't a troll sometimes. 

 

 

Technically he's not doing anything illegal, you know. He has changed them 'enough' from their previous designs. Just because we can obviously see the roots (having experienced them), they are 'different' now.

 

And honestly, his story is nothing like anything in Sonic, so that's not something he really has to worry about.

 

They're just extremely unappealing as well.

 

 

Really? Even Knuckles? All you need to do is slap a goatee, shirt and loincloth on a character and the law will leave you alone? 

[horridus]

Yeah, that's pretty much my reason for following the guy. I imagine years from now we'll still be getting semi-regular, hilarious Penders antics to point and laugh at. Hard to believe he isn't a troll sometimes. 

 

 

 

Really? Even Knuckles? All you need to do is slap a goatee, shirt and loincloth on a character and the law will leave you alone? 

 

Recall, we live in a world where Christian Weston Chandler is a real person and not simply some hideous trolling persona cooked up by a bored Encyclopedia Dramatica fan. And he has an honest to God copyright on 'Sonichu'. Who is a merger of Sonic and Pikachu. 

 

Again, it hinges on how much the ripoff is making, how much brand confusion it could cause and how much the ripped off company cares to do something about it. As it stands, LSC makes nothing, nobody is confusing it for Sonic, and SEGA doesn't care enough to do anything about it because of the two previous reasons. 

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Seriously though, to anyone hoping for these characters to return. Guys, just move on because it isn't going to happen anytime soon. I'm bummed that Scourge and Mina are gone but I'll admit that Sonic, the Freedom Fighters, and the Sega cast were the main heart of the story, and we still have that.

[Agie]

Yeah. With the Penders characters, the only way they'd even have a shot of returning is if Penders is out of the picture...and chances are, most, if not all of us will have long moved on by then.

 

Characters from other writers have more of a shot, but I wouldn't hold my breath for those guys, either.

[Disonoid 3000]

Recall, we live in a world where Christian Weston Chandler is a real person and not simply some hideous trolling persona cooked up by a bored Encyclopedia Dramatica fan. And he has an honest to God copyright on 'Sonichu'. Who is a merger of Sonic and Pikachu. 

 

Again, it hinges on how much the ripoff is making, how much brand confusion it could cause and how much the ripped off company cares to do something about it. As it stands, LSC makes nothing, nobody is confusing it for Sonic, and SEGA doesn't care enough to do anything about it because of the two previous reasons. 

 

I know about SEGA just not bothering (and having absolutely no reason to, really), but the post seemed to be implying that even if they did go after him they wouldn't have a case. 

[Verb & Noun]

Really? Even Knuckles? All you need to do is slap a goatee, shirt and loincloth on a character and the law will leave you alone? 

 

It's not just that, the proportions and everything are different and they're aliens, not echidnas now. The 'alien' bit is honestly the most important thing because if he still called them echidnas, than yes they'd still be too close to the original SEGA material because no one else in the world draws echidnas that look like SEGA's.

 

But because he's made them so hideously ugly they are significantly 'different' now.

 

 

Now if only he'd listen to people criticizing the proportions and stops writing it off as people being mad they're not SEGA-styled. They've just got ugly proportions period. Making something alien doesn't mean making it unappealing.