#adventures into obscurity

[garr9988]

So I Watched "Monster Force"...

After watching Captain Simian and the Space Monkeys (which I seriously recommend, it's pretty charming and decently written), a friend and I decided to watch other old and somewhat obscure cartoons. In between episodes of Action Man (1995), I found Monster Force.

Monster Force was a 1994 cartoon based on the Universal Studios line of monster movies. Only getting one season, although all 13 episodes are known to exist, only 9 of them seem to have been saved and uploaded online to be watched.

First and foremost: it's not good. Or at least, it's not terrible. But it's absolutely not well-written. In 9 episodes, I could not tell you anything about most of the recurring cast.

The writing puts too much emphasis on the "job" of the story, or the progression of events themselves. It's hard to describe, but it's like there's no time to breathe, no opportunities taken to explore the characters in any way beyond their job. It uses the characters as extremely shallow chess pieces to give exposition and advance the plot with next to no personality. Most of the characters talk too similarly to each other or just talk very flatly and clinically, and all in sarcastic quips and jokes, to stand out on their own in any significant way.

Of the embarrassingly forgettable recurring cast, only 3 stood out to my friend and I in a positive way:

Luke Talbot, descendant of Larry Talbot (aka The Wolfman), and one of the only two monsters on Monster Force (along with Frank, aka Frankenstein's Monster). His whole thing is that he's trying to find the werewolf that bit his grandfather Larry, with the intent of killing him so as to end his curse of lycanthropy.

Outside of his built-in plot device goal, Luke has little personality, just like most of the cast. And given he uses his lycanthropy so much, his textual loathing for his curse comes off as forced and without depth. The only reason my friend and I like him is because we find his werewolf form hot.

Like come on. If this show were more popular and better I feel like this image would be on a lot of backgrounds and edits.

Count Dracula was absolutely a stand-out character. His voice performance by Robert Bockstael was likewise a stand-out in a show full of phoned-in, flat acting from everyone else. He's got drama, charisma, cruelty, and an accent. And similarly, unlike everyone else's ugly and overdesigned dieselpunk mechsuit (EMACS) designs, his was actually simple, yet well-made, pleasing and dramatic.

Aside from those crazy side-goatees??? Granted, they look like spider pincers, which may be intentional, so I guess that's cool?

The very first episode had him try to force Luke to embrace his lycanthropy and join his forces of evil as a full monster (which we enjoyed bc Gayyyy). He also tries to recruit Frank and other actually evil monsters to his cause, but in the 9 episodes was never successful.

Commander Honor Santiago, a security officer working for Hyper-Gen. She mostly stood out because she was sooooo butch lesbian-coded. Strong square face, short & slicked hair, earrings in one(?) ear, and she seemed torn between her duty to recapture the escaped Bride of Frankenstein('s Monster) (who had escaped the facility she worked for) and being disturbed by her mistreatment at the hands of her superior, Dr. Ducaine.

Honestly, I feel like there was a lot of potential for Honor and The Bride to get together, but of course The Bride ends up rejecting both Frank (and other monsters) and humans alike in favor of living alone, and Honor ends up as a love interest for de facto male lead Reed Crawley (the guy she's looking at). I have no clue if this was intentional coding that got comphet'd because it was the 90s, or just a bunch of coincidences. But if more young girls saw her, I'm sure she'd have been lots of girls' awakening.

Of the 9 extant episodes, there were only 3 episodes I could decidedly call "character-focus episodes" - episodes that focus on one character of the cast in particular. Which is funny, you'd think they'd do that for every main character at least once (there are 6 main characters, so there should be room). Of those 3, two of them are only ostensibly in this category because they still didn't feel focused enough, and only one of them I "liked" - because it focused on Luke going after the source of his curse, and so there were lots of nice Werewolf Time.

The one episode my friend and I regard fairly positively is not among those 3 focus episodes: Episode 7, "Dark City"

After 6 shallow, empty episodes, this one (written by Mary Crawford and Alan Templeton) was actually pretty interesting and freaky! The premise of the episode is that the gang are stuck in a living town that's a grotesque monster (the whole thing!) that every so often pops out of the aether to lure entire nearby populations into itself to eat.

The episode doesn't really explore that premise in a way other cartoons would/it should have (i.e. the gang falling under its allures for more than 2 minutes, or spending more time investigating recent disappearances, or the strangeness of the town longer before it reveals itself... y'know, things you'd do in competent writing). Where it excels is purely in the visual execution of its concept.

The background/environmental artists for this episode did a really nice job of making this place so gnarly and disturbing in its monstrousness. A living city with eyes, teeth, horns and tentacles built into buildings and walls, how normal environments can transform into something horrifying and organic in the blink of an eye (like this stairwell). It's awesome, and calls to mind Queensland from Alice: Madness Returns.

Now, of course, this show was among the litany of cartoons made toys-first and everything else came afterwards as a glorified commercial. It just wasn't successful at making an attractive commercial of itself at all. It's rather baffling and embarrassing how a crew of people being paid to write managed to do so poorly, even if they must have had very little time to write and review/update drafts.

To cap off a slew of mediocre with some inside jokes:

"You better not be a Cunty Frankenstein when I get there!"

"They pick her up like the fútbol."

#monster force #obscure cartoons #obscure animation #90s cartoons #90s #universal studios #universal monsters #original #obscure cartoon reviews #adventures into obscurity

[arconinternet]

Adventure Maker (Windows, 1999-2013)

An easy-to-use first-person (primarily, but optionally third-person) adventure game engine, unsupported since 2013 and unavailable for purchase since 2017 (when the venerable Kagi registration service died). You can download it here.

You can find links to free games made with the program on the Wayback Machine here. Don't forget to check the linked sites on the live web too. Games listed as not working on Vista (and thus even following versions of WIndows) may work after using this patch from the Carol Reed series site (Carol Reed games 1-3 used to need it, but no longer do - the other games use other engines - game NINETEEN coming on Jan 1st!).

#internet archive #game engine #game making #indie games #indie dev #indie game dev #game #games #video game #video games #videogame #videogames #computer game #computer games #obscure games #adventure games #point and click #old software #vintage software #1999 #2013 #1990s #90s #2000s #00s #2010s #10s

[needanevenbettername]

Obscure Stand of The Day 26.

Charmy Green's infant form.

Charmy Green's adult form.

Stand name: Charmy Green.

Namesake: Japanese detergent brand.

Created by: Clamp.

Year of creation: 1994.

User: Jota Kujo.

History: Charmy Green is the Stand of the son of Jotaro Kujo and Noriaki Kakyoin, after being born from an egg laid by Kakyoin, Jota shortly after gained his Stand.

History of creation: Charmy Green was created for the event Clamp in Wonderland, and the short-lived Clamp series JoJo's Bizarre Married Life set in an alternate universe version of Stardust Crusaders, where no one dies.

Ability: Charmy Green has abilities similar to those of Star Platinum and Hierophant Green. It can throw fast, powerful, precise punches like Star Platinum and unravel its body like Hierophant Green. Charmy Green also has an ability called Emerald Star Finger, which fires an Emerald-shaped energy blast from his fingers.

Trivia: Charmy Green is the first Stand named after a product.

Charmy Green's user, Jota Kujo.

#jojo no kimyou na bouken #jojo's bizarre adventure #jojo stands #obscure stand of the day #clamp in wonderland #charmy green #hirohiko araki #clamp #stardust crusaders #jota kujo

[earthmoonz]

re-madeover the fengs for my story and I finally like how they look in my sim style!

#they're both in their early 40s but lily gets botox and reshade obscures some of my skin details lol #adventures in cas #sims of color #lgbtq simblr #black simblr #ts4 cas #sims 4 cas #ts4 cas edit #emz: sims #*earthsims #ts4 townies #ts4 townie makeover

[cryptid-condor]

prayer for the forgotten

click to admire the stitches on his pants (also i would love some concrit if you have the time)

#hiiiiiiii #Adventure of Link #linked universe #linkeduniverse #LU Hyrule #ok its done we're good #i hope hylia is actually recognizable at several points i was worried she was too obscured by the ivy and cracks and whatnot #i dont actually know how to paint backgrounds or clothes so this was fun #i CAN paint grass though i really like painting grass #maybe actually planning and using references would make my layouts look better #but WHO CARES #i do :') #this drawing went through an insane thumbnail period though #i wanted to do a closeup character portrait until i sketched the kneeling pose and i was like YEAH THAT #it looked kinda weird that he was kneeling at nothing so it turned into a huge full drawing #all my rat

[who-do-i-know-this-man]

⚠️Vote for whomever YOU DO NOT KNOW⚠️‼️

#ultimate obscure blorbo #polls #round 1 #Ned (Pushing Daisies) #Ned Chicane (The Adventure Zone: Amnesty)

[dadoa]

happy birthday jonathan& happy late anniversary to this post😊😊😊🎉

#i hope you all will liek the redraw as much as the original.. ✺◟(＾∇＾)◞✺ #batman the audio adventures #btaa #jonathan crane #scarecrow #twoface #harvey dent #fanart #thankyou soooo mcuh for the support on the original aswell ..i thought it was a bit too obscure to really garner any attention....heart

[twomystdunstans]

HGGGGGG I’m so excited to see your steeplechase designs eventually maybe they are the variety of freaks that would fit your style so well!!!!!

HI I LOVE THE STEEPLECHASE FREAKS SO MUCH HERES A ROUGH FIRST (?) PASS

#I know exactly who Montrose looks like in my head but his face claim is. real obscure #emeric I'm still a little iffy on?? Im not too solid w his design yet #BEEFS TATTOOS WERE SO FUN ALSO. I gave him a bear as a callback to Magnus bcos Beef reminds me of him a little #ALSO NOT SUPER SOLID W MONTROSE'S MASK BUT W/E #taz steeplechase #taz: steeplechase #the adventure zone #the adventure zone steeplechase #montrose pretty #beef punchly #emeric dreadway #TAZ #taz designs #taz Montrose #taz beef #taz emeric

[obscureanimeoftheday]

Obscure Anime of The Day:

Eureka Seven

Aired: 2005-2006

Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Mecha, Military, Psychological, Romance, SciFi, Shounen, Superpower

#Eureka seven #Koukyoushi Hen Eureka Seven #交響詩篇エウレカセブン #Action #Adventure #Comedy #Drama #Fantasy #Mecha #Military #Psychological #Romance #SciFi #Shounen #Superpower #anime #obscure anime of the day #Eureka Seven Psalms of Planets #Eureka 7

[seltzerfordogs]

fern deserves to play an instrument too!!

(erhu/otamatone/midi fighter)

#adventure time #fern the human #fern mertens #I wanted to give him more obscure instruments bc he’s an obscure lil guy #art tag

[cloudysfluffs]

i think getting tickled would fix him

(ns//fw and/or fetish blogs please dni🙏🙏)

#sorry i havent posted tk art in 300 million years. u know how it is #nyway cartoon network hire me i NEEEEDD to kill simon /lovingly #i dont know how to tag this uhh #tickle art #my art #fionna and cake tickle #adventure time tickle #< probably more accurate .....but i fucking LOVE marcys fac des she is CUTE!!!!!! #i have so so so many tk ideas about this show (foaming at the mouth) #everyone whos reading this legally has to go follow tickletails bc they make the BEST content for this fandom. best content in general tbh #tickling #ok thats it i guess #OH OH people have been telling me to make than snm art.......SO MAYBE I WILL #i have a sketch done already. take this for now tho #ill probably post one art of salmon macks themsleves and then one of my obscure little blorbo #so that people who like snm but odnt care about him can chave their own thing. yknow #well see #lee!simon petrikov #ler!marceline abadeer

[paintsplash1712]

So I read this really good Jojo Eyes of Heaven Rewrite and I got inspired by a certain scene in chapter 3 and decided to draw my own version of Joanna from the description. The fic is called ‘I ain’t a doll, this ain’t a dollhouse’ by @vaurelias it’s so good I definitely recommend.

Situated in the middle of a smaller, more cluttered room before him was a beautiful woman with a light tan complexion. She sat seemingly lifeless on a rocking chair. A waterfall of midnight hair cascaded down her large frame. A gaudy wedding ring sat on her ring finger. She wore a form fitting deep blue dress with a v-neck that stretched down to her navel. The neckline was not to show off her body, but to make room for the large golden arrow lodged deep in her chest. Large, thorned lavender vines sprouted and writhed from the wound like a nest of bagworms to span the entire floor. They covered every surface in the room like a web.

Details of my process and version without background under the cut:

Though I took some liberties with the description of Joanna’s dress because I thought Dio would go for something more over the top then actually sexy (just look at his stupid outfit in part 3) so I went for something that was revealing but also something I could see coming from the 80s. I found a similar looking dress on Pinterest and immediately chose it as the dress.

I also wanted some flower or vine imagery around her legs so I gave her shoes inspired by Ashlynn Ella from Ever After High but with roses on the front as Dio in part 3 is surrounded by roses throughout the story. I also gave her a choker with a heart on it as a reference to Dio’s headband, and to show he sees her as his thing or his doll (ha) also kept it green so it looked out of place on purpose.

Also I know the text said the arrow is stuck in Joanna’s chest but I tried to follow that description but with the POV I wanted it wouldn’t have been possible for me to draw the arrow that way without it looking awful so she’s holding it in the art. Also very proud of myself for doing the arrow head’s details because before actually doing it I thought it’d be impossible with how detailed it looked. Yay, me!

Also just wanted to say I hate doing backgrounds, that’s why it’s not super detailed but hey, good thing Dio’s mansion is always shadowy and dark so I didn’t need to worry as much. But here’s a version of Joanna on her own, I really like it.

#this piece was definitely a difficult one #I had some many different angles and doodles before settling on this one #I hope you like it #I know this won’t get a lot of notes because its based on something kinda obscure #but I spent a lot of time on it damn it so hopefully someone likes it #jojo’s bizarre adventure #jjba #fanfiction art #art #jojo fanart #jjba fanart #jonathan joestar #Jojo genderswap #genderbend #Joanna Joestar #go read the fic! #digital art #digital illustration #procreate

[arconinternet]

Virtual Nightclub: A Game About Time (Windows, Thumb Candy, 1997)

An ambitious sci-fi adventure game which became lost media until 2016. You can download it, pre-configured to run on modern versions of WIndows, here, including a comprehensive guide and a very different unfinished beta version.

You can read the Lost Media Wiki article about it here, and read the guide's writer's thoughts on the game here.

#internet archive #game #games #video games #videogame #videogames #computer game #computer games #adventure game #adventure games #cd rom #cd rom games #multimedia #mini games #obscure game #obscure games #lost media #lost media wiki #herbie hancock #redman #neal stephenson #1997 #1990s #90s

[needanevenbettername]

Obscure Stand of The Day 64.

Stand name: Unnamed.

Namesake: None.

Created by: Kouhei Kadono and Tasuku Karasuma.

Year of creation: 2021.

User(s): Pet Sounds.

Kazuki Karaiya (temporary).

History: Pet Sounds is a Parrot raised alongside the Falcon Stand user Pet Shop. Both were taken in by DIO after he killed their trainer. The Speedwagon Foundation rescued and relocated Pet Sounds. In 1999, Pet Sounds was stolen from its new home and ended up in Morioh.

History of creation: Pet Sounds and its unnamed Stand were created for the spin-off/ Part 3 sequel/ Part 4 prequel Crazy Diamond's Demonic Heartbreak. In which Hol Horse and Josuke Higshikata work together to capture Pet Sounds.

Abilities: Pet Sounds Stand can make people replay past events remembered by Pet Sounds. The ability is activated when Pet Sounds repeats a sound or voice associated with said memory. At one point, it causes Hol Horse to repeat his attempt to kill DIO on Josuke's grandfather and Josuke to witness the memory of Daniel J D'Arby's first interaction with DIO. When the ability is undone, it's visualised as punch cards shooting from the victim's body.

Hol Horse under the effect of the Stand.

Trivia: While the Stand is unnamed in the story, through my own research, I have found that it may be named Seshat, after the Egyptian Goddess of writing, wisdom, and knowledge.

#jojo no kimyou na bouken #jojos bizarre adventure #jojo stands #obscure stand of the day #unnamed stand #crazy diamond's demonic heartbreak #pet sounds #stardust crusaders #jojo stardust crusaders #diamond is unbreakable #jojo diamond is unbreakable #hirohiko araki #kouhei kadono #tasuku karasuma

[scp-admissions]

Here is an idea for a SCP choose-your-own-adventure style book. The plot is quite standard, the protagonist is a D-class or a site guard, and there is a breach. They (I'm imagining the nameless gender neutral main character trope) are need to survive the breach or even stop it, and how that goes depend on the player's choices.

A few pages can be them meeting various famous SCP, like SCP-049 or SCP-035. But I would also like them to meet less known SCPs, leaving half of the readers say "what...", and half of the readers saying "Oooh it's SCP-1498, the sheep thing with a telephone head!"

A few routes will lead to the main character entering various extra dimensional SCPs, such as SCP-354(The Red Lake), SCP-2264 (In the Court of Alagadda), The Wanderers' Library, or any other nightmare dimension, really. If the first book does well, there would even be a follow-up book/spin-off that continues from one of these endings.

There was to be at least 10 endings were the main character dies in horrible ways. There is also one ending that is like, "go to page 1", implying that the main character is stuck in a time loop that is this book. There is one ending where they wake up and it was jus a dream, just for the breach alarm to go off. The happy ending is still bittersweet, because the main character survive but someone they cares for didn't.

Now there is just a teeny tiiiny little problem. someone has to actually spend time to make such a book, and I can't draw.

#I don't actually think 1498 is obscure #it was just what came to mind #spin-off: SCP-Choose your own adventure: Red Lake #this is such a fun idea. if something like this exists. please tell me #There is one ending called the Clef-ending where Clef shows up and ends the breach effortlessly and goes straight back to sleep #scp #scp foundation #-admin marmaron #not a confession #scp 035 #scp 049 #scp 354 #scp 2264 #scp 1498 #scp headcanons #is this inspired by the recently announced fnaf interactive novel? Maaaaybe

[who-do-i-know-this-man]

⚠️Vote for whomever YOU DO NOT KNOW⚠️‼️

#ultimate obscure blorbo #polls #round 1 #Koutarou Tenjou (Deep Sea Aquarium Magmell) #Kravitz (The Adventure Zone)