Howard the Duck

PLAYER
Name: Dylan
Age: 33
Personal Journal: n/a
E-mail: crossman.dylan@gmail.com
AIM/etc: nextgener49

CHARACTER
Name: Howard the Duck
Canon: Marvel Comics
Age: Never stated, but given that he was able to run for President, likely mid-thirties.
Timeline: Pre-Civil War
Items with character at canon point: A lighter, a pack of cheap cigars, and the clothes on his back.
If playing another character from the same canon, how will you deal with this?: N/A

Personality:
Howard is... an angry little person. That's putting it mildly. He's direct, blunt, and extremely quick to point out the absurdities of life or to tell people exactly how stupid they're being. Misanthropic to a fault, it sometimes seems he's not happy unless he's complaining about something. Howard also seems to think (and he might well be right on this count) that the universe is out to get him, contributing to his general surliness.

All evidence suggests that Howard was fowl foul tempered even before his unexpected dumping in the Marvel 616 universe, having been a directionless disappointment to his parents and less favored than his other siblings. He strongly resisted any attempts by others to shape who he ought to be, and thus lead to quite a bit of familial conflict. At one point, he even resisted the very narrative fabric of the universe, refusing to get drawn into a pointless hero vs villain fight, and the resulting conflict gave him a mental breakdown.

Howard's anger also often comes from the utterly absurd life he leads. You'd be angry too if you were attacked by space turnips or tried in court because of a crazy lady on the bus thinking you were going to steal her kidneys. The fact that, with these or with the real absurdities of life seem to go unnoticed by anyone but him only makes it worse.

Howard also has a hair trigger temper, and will fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. His usual overall powerlessness in a world of "hairless apes" probably helps contribute to that. It takes very little to set him off, and when he gets angry, he gets very angry and very loud. While some of this is just his personality in general, certainly some of it is a defense mechanism to be trapped in a world that was simply not made for him (by virtue of either simply being a world of hairless talking apes or by virtue of the fact that he's quite small). Further, very few people are willing to take Howard seriously, believing him to simply be a little person or child in a costume. Given that he sees things far more clearly (or believes he does, anyway) than most, his inability to get anyone to listen is extremely frustrating.

All in all, Howard has always had anger issues, but the various issues of his life have only served to further exasperate the situation.

Howard can also be very self-centered, focusing only on the injustices (perceived or otherwise) thrust upon him, and ignoring the needs and wants of others around him, especially his girlfriend Beverly.

Those things being said, Howard is, at his core, a very good person. Numerous times, though he complains all the way, he's stopped to help people in need. Just as important, he remains deeply loyal to his friends, ranging from his girlfriend Beverly, to the misshapen and nearly mindless Man-Thing. All of this suggests that at least some of his anger and grumbling is a put on and pretense, a way of protecting himself so that he doesn't get hurt. But Howard was pushed round a lot in his life back on Duckworld, and continues to be pushed around here on Earth. And he doesn't like to see that happen to anyone else. Further, despite his significant cynicism, Howard knows he couldn't live with himself if he didn't help where he could.

Too, Howard can be prone to deep depressions. When his girlfriend Beverly was forced to marry his nemesis Doctor Bong, it took a long time for him to get his head on straight.

Though typically crass and direct, Howard is surprisingly literate and well read, and can even be dismissive of mass, commercialized material.
Howard is deeply cynical because of his experiences, trusting only that whatever happens, it's probably going to be stupid, but has also made true friends, and in a world that seems beset against him, that means something deeply.

Howard is, being one himself, a champion of the underdog. He hates to see anyone being taken advantage of, hates bullies, and hates to see people abusing their power. In fact, if there's one thing that will break him out his self-centered misanthropic shell the fastest, it's standing up for someone else.

Background: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_the_Duck#Fictional_character_biography

Abilities:Howard is an autodidact who has taught himself a variety of skills over the years and has held a variety of jobs, ranging from dishwasher to taxi driver and more. While he possesses little formal education, it has been said he had the potential to be one of his world's most brilliant minds. He possesses adequate skill with small firearms. He possesses a surprising amount of skill in the Martial Art known as Quack-Fu. While guided by the spirit of Doctor Strange, Howard once demonstrated a small amount of mystical skill.

Network/Actionspam Sample:

(modified from the test drive prompts)

[Howard can be seen standing in front of the abandoned, clearly haunted house.]

Really? This is what we're doing now? I'm pretty sure I just saw four kids and a dog driving away from this place.

[He sighs and crosses his arms.]

Nope. Not gonna do it. Not gonna go in, and no dad blasted city with a mind of its own can make me. I've seen this film before, and anybody who goes into one of these houses gets exactly what's coming to them. This right here... [and there's expansive gesturing] are what we call 'warning signs.' Ignore at your own peril.

[A scream from somewhere inside nearly makes him drop the pocket watch]

That was p-p-probably nothing. Sound effects. The wind.

[Another sigh. He's starting to walk towards the house.]

...Yeah, okay. But one of you saps better come looking for me! And I want it on the record I'm doing this under protest!


Prose Log Sample:


There was a duck walking down the street. Not a cartoon duck, like a certain sailor or a certain foil for a certain rabbit, but a duck that looks like what a duck might look like on a world where waterfowl became one of the dominant lifeforms. H was smoking a cigar, raising a cloud of smoke above him, and he walked with the kind of presence that suggests he was not going to get out of anyone's way and just might walk over anything that was in his.

"Of all the lousy..." he muttered to himself. "Just when I get myself used to thinking maybe living on a planet of hairless apes isn't such a bad thing, I go and get dragged into some new inanity. I just know I'm going to get roped into saving this place from some unspeakable evil with some convoluted master plan..."

He stopped, leaning against the nearby wall. "Well, I'm not gonna let this place win. Take your best shot, Ruby City! You're not gonna get the best of me! You think you're so scary? Well, I've possessed! I've fallen through holes in reality! I've fought a Hellcow! I've been to New Jersey!"

As if to punctuate the moment, it suddenly started pouring, raining coming down in buckets. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, actually striking the ground less than a foot away from him, punctuated a great boom of thunder. He let out a a "WAUGH!" of surprise and leapt a surprising distance in the air, ending up clinging to a nearby lamp post.

"...not that that's not an excellent rebuttal, mind you."

PART 1 - Out of Character
NAME: Dylan
AGE (must be 18 or older): 32
E-MAIL: crossman.dylan at gmail dot com
AIM: Nextgener49
PLURK: N/A
DROPBOX: N/A
TIME ZONE: EST
PREFERRED METHOD OF CONTACT: AIM, PM, Email


PART 2.a - In Character Non-WH13/Eureka Canon Characters (Skip/delete if not applicable)
Full Name: Howard (actual last name unknown) the Duck
Nicknames: Ducky (usually only used by his girlfriend Bev)
DOB/Age: Unknown--never explictly stated in the comics, but reads like someone in his early thirties
Birthplace: New Stork, New Stork. (Duckworld)
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Straight
Species: Duckworlder
Fandom: Marvel Comics
Journal: the_gerber_baby
PB: comic scans
Holoprojection Human Interface PB: Danny Devito
Canon Point: pre-Civil War

Appearance: Howard is approximately three feet tall and slightly on the pudgy side, as befits someone who exercises only when he feels like it. Oh, yes, and he's an anthropomorphic duck. Yellow-white feathers, large webbed feet, and a rather prominent bill. He typically wears a small hat, white gloves, and various suits (sometimes with pants, sometimes not).

It should be emphasized that Howard does not look like a living cartoon. He looks like what a flesh and blood anthropomorphic duck would look like.

Nine times out of ten, his face is scrunched up in annoyance, frustration, or outright anger. Despite having a beak, he manages to have a wide variety of facial expressions.

History: On Duckworld, Howard was a disappointment to his parents, teachers, and pretty much everyone else. He was said to be have been possessed of great potential, but squandered it and declined to pursue higher education. He lived a workaday life, never much thinking beyond the moment.

This changed when cosmic forces aligned his world with the Nexus of Realities and its portal in the Florida Everglades in the main Marvel universe. Unceremoniously dumped there, Howard fought along the Man-Thing, Dakimh the Enchanter, Jennifer Kale, and Korrek the Barbarian against Thog the Overmaster. During the course of the fight, Howard was lost in interdimensional space found himself in Cleveland, Ohio. There, he encountered oddities such as Bessie the Hellcow (a cow that had been turned into a vampire by Dracula) and others, eventually meeting Beverly Switzler, who would become his girlfriend. It is heavily implied that they shared a physical relationship, but it is considered best not to think about it too much.

Beverly and Howard encountered other oddities, including Spider-Man, the Son of Satan, and the man who would be his arch-nemesis, Doctor Bong. Along the way, Howard faced other menaces such as the Space-Turnip, the terrible Kidney Lady, an evil gingerbread man, and even found the time to run for President. Time and time again, though events might separate them, Howard remained dedicated to Bev, thinking of her as the only sane thing in a crazy world. When she was briefly forced into a marriage with Doctor Bong, Howard was despondent. Without her, his misanthropic tendencies came even further to the forefront.

Much later, Howard had further adventures with Generation X and its younger members, including Franklin Richards. Here, Howard displayed a significant protective streak for the Man-Thing.

Howard and Beverly eventually moved to New York City. Life has not gotten any less strange for the two of them.

Previous Game History, IF APPLICABLE: N/A
Personality: Howard is... an angry little person. That's putting it mildly. He's direct, blunt, and extremely quick to point out the absurdities of life or to tell people exactly how stupid they're being. Misanthropic to a fault, it sometimes seems he's not happy unless he's complaining about something. Howard also seems to think (and he might well be right on this count) that the universe is out to get him, contributing to his general surliness.

All evidence suggests that Howard was fowl foul tempered even before his unexpected dumping in the Marvel 616 universe, having been a directionless disappointment to his parents and less favored than his other siblings. He strongly resisted any attempts by others to shape who he ought to be, and thus lead to quite a bit of familial conflict.

Howard's anger also often comes from the utterly absurd life he leads. You'd be angry too if you were attacked by space turnips or tried in court because of a crazy lady on the bus thinking you were going to steal her kidneys. The fact that, with these or with the real absurdities of life seem to go unnoticed by anyone but him only makes it worse.

Howard also has a hair trigger temper, and will fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. His usual overall powerlessness in a world of "hairless apes" probably helps contribute to that. It takes very little to set him off, and when he gets angry, he gets very angry and very loud. While some of this is just his personality in general, certainly some of it is a defense mechanism to be trapped in a world that was simply not made for him (by virtue of either simply being a world of hairless talking apes or by virtue of the fact that he's quite small). Further, very few people are willing to take Howard seriously, believing him to simply be a little person or child in a costume. Given that he sees things far more clearly (or believes he does, anyway) than most, his inability to get anyone to listen is extremely frustrating.

All in all, Howard has always had anger issues, but the various issues of his life have only served to further exasperate the situation.

Those things being said, Howard is, at his core, a very good person. Numerous times, though he complains all the way, he's stopped to help people in need. Just as important, he remains deeply loyal to his friends, ranging from his girlfriend Beverly, to the misshapen and nearly mindless Man-Thing. All of this suggests that at least some of his anger and grumbling is a put on and pretense, a way of protecting himself so that he doesn't get hurt. But Howard was pushed round a lot in his life back on Duckworld, and continues to be pushed around here on Earth. And he doesn't like to see that happen to anyone else. Further, despite his significant cynicism, Howard knows he couldn't live with himself if he didn't help where he could.

Howard is deeply cynical because of his experiences, but has also made true friends, and in a world that seems beset against him, that means something deeply.

Howard is, being one himself, a champion of the underdog. He hates to see anyone being taken advantage of, hates bullies, and hates to see people abusing their power. In fact, if there's one thing that will break him out his self-centered misanthropic shell the fastest, it's standing up for someone else.

Special facts/special abilities about your character: Howard is an autodidact who has taught himself a variety of skills over the years and has held a variety of jobs, ranging from dishwasher to taxi driver and more. While he possesses little formal education, it has been said he had the potential to be one of his world's most brilliant minds. He possesses adequate skill with small firearms. He possesses a surprising amount of skill in the Martial Art known as Quack-Fu. While guided by the spirit of Doctor Strange, Howard once demonstrated a small amount of mystical skill.

While not a super-power per say, Howard seems to attract weirdness and strange characters into his life.

What is arriving with your character?: Howard will be arriving with the clothes on his back, his wallet, a pack of cigars, and a lighter.

PART 3 - Writing Samples
1. First Person Writing Sample: http://worldmobile.dreamwidth.org/1710.html
2. Third Person Writing Sample: http://marvel-universe.dreamwidth.org/2649.html#comments

3. First or Third person Sample:

[There is a duck on the Farnsworth. Please, feel free to point this out. It won't irritate him in the slightest. Also, check your sarcasm meter while you're at it.]

Really.

Never thought I'd say it, but this is already makin' me miss the other dimension full of hairless apes. Much as those spandex types and the weirdos get on my nerves... at least there being me don't get ya wearing some holographic do-dad. You'd be surprised what people can get used to, folks!

[He sighs.]

Anyone want to spot me bus fare to the Everglades?


PART 4 - Disclaimers
Was this character held for you? No
Can this character be canon-punctured? Yes (for both the comics and the Lucas-movie)


The following must be posted clearly in your journal profile so that other players can find the information readily before your app will be accepted:

Character:
Fandom:
Arrival date: (LEAVE BLANK UNTIL ACCEPTED)
Canon Point at Date of Arrival:
Can they be canon-punctured:
Disclaimer: Not [Insert Character Name], not various artists or Danny DeVito. I own neither and this profile/character concept is for The Warehouse RPG only. No profit is made from this journal. The Warehouse RPG is entirely fictional. This means that it is in no way real, nor do we the players believe it to be so.