posted
Wow, that really fills in some of the blanks for the curious.
I should point out that the original color code sheet was provided to my Legion collaborators in a full color version. Not black and white, as you see it here.
posted
Wow -- whoever called Tellus a "lump of..." should take a look at the above. It really shows how visually dynamic he can be.
Say NC, where did the above drawing come from anyway? It appears to be in the same series as the Sensor Girl and Quislet pics you posted in the other threads.
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
I'm in total agreement, Drake. Actually, now that I've seen a picture of Tellus sans helmet...I hope that if he ever does come back, he doesn't need the helmet. I loved Tellus before, but he just looks so much badder without it.
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
If Tellus were re-introduced, he could have some nose plugs instead of the helmet, or some other techy solution. That's a great sketch, it really communicates the emotion.
A shame about the abandonment of the colour-communication. Very interesting concept for Tellus! I was reading that humans (that's us!) can distinguish shades of grey better than colours, partly because colours become so emotion-laden. With Tellus and his race, they would probably have been able to display many gradations of each colour to express finer points of emotion.
posted
Steve, I never knew there was so much depth to Tellus...I am impressed! I would like to see a re-boot Tellus now (along with all the other characters I liked too).
I'm really impressed with the colour coding...don't know if you know this but the octopus changes the colour of its skin to reflect its mood too!
posted
Tellus and the emotion nodules is something that would benefit greatly from being rebooted what with all the computer coloring going on nowadays.
From: New York, NY | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
LOVE the MOOD NODULES!!!! The color/emotion pairings are very human! I wonder if he studied that, or if it's one of those universal things?
I thought it odd that a race that swims in the ocean would have such clunky forearms, which makes me wonder if Tellus wasn't always intended to be from an ocean world? Or is he a bottom dweller?
posted
Grr....hate that words "DEAF and MUTE"!!!! Because it is equivalent to "ni___rs" or "f___ot"! Never never combined those words together because it labels each other. "MUTE" is an old word meaning "DUMB and Speechless" and it's offended many deaf population. Just "DEAF" will do...it's sufficient. That's it. It does not mean that Deaf is not always dumb and mute. During early 1900s, many deaf schools have dropped either "Dumb" and "Mute" and changed it to simple name such as "Model Secondary School for the Deaf", "Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf", "California School for the Deaf", etc. So please don't use "mute" from now on, okay?
I was pissed off at some people who told others that I am "deaf and mute" because I cannot speak very well and people saying "oh sorry did not know that you were dumb". Huh? excuse me, I had to talk back by saying "I have a MA degree, does that mean I am dumber?"
Sorry for my venting off the point. Just feel like I want to let you know that it is very sensitive.
Looking at the bright side, wow, your description on Tellus' rocks on his back....very unique and I don't understand why the editor or assistant editor or someone higher than that decided to nix that. I find it very strangely since in 1990 or something close to that year, the annual DC crossover called "Bloodlines", they created a character called "Loose Cannon"...his powers is pretty much similar to Tellus, sans telepathic and telekinetics. Maybe you can bribe or lobby DnA to bring him back?
posted
First, I should hope that you understand that it was never my intention to cause anyone to take offense.
I do believe that I understand your frustration at having the word "mute" erroneously applied to a deaf person. That is simply wrong. In some cases it may be wrong in a moral sense, as when someone intentionally mislabels another out of a disregard for their feelings, or out of carelessness, but it is also wrong because it is inaccurate to assume that a deaf person lacks the physical power of speech. You will notice the same kind of frustrating inaccuracies in the official Indian roles recorded just a few generations back by the United States government. In many cases, the majority of Native American peoples were described as deaf, mute, or even as imbeciles, largely because they did not speak the English language or because they refused to speak to the census takers. This is another example of how an inaccurate description can have negative and long lasting consequences.
In the case of Tellus, I defend the clinical use of the word mute, on the grounds that it is an accurate description of an individual lacking the power of verbal speech. Describing Tellus as "speechless" might be acceptable as an alternative, but that word is open to other interpretations. To my knowledge of the English language (such as it is) mute is the most appropriate of descriptions for Tellus' physical ability. This is certainly not intended as a derogatory comment in any way, simply a statement of his situation. You will note that this physical reality is not a detriment amongst his own race, who possesses an alternate mode of speech. The Hykranians employ a language that utilizes other bodily senses. Their language is a combination of sensitivity to vibration and vision. My suspicion is that Tellus would consider races, limited to a purely auditory language, to be disabled. Of course, he is far too polite to say so.
My intention, in creating a character like Tellus, was to show that differences needn't be an insurmountable barrier. Tellus was never meant, as some seem to have concluded, to be a "token monster." Tellus, and for that matter; Quislet, were portrayed as respected Legionnaires, the equals of their humanoid companions. Their differences were of no true importance because they were judged only by their spirits. They were Legionnaires because they shared the heart of the Legion. Many peoples with more humanoid physiognomies and familiar language skills failed to meet that particular criteria.
I chose my words for their literal and clinical definitions. I certainly did not intend for anyone to interpret them in a derogatory sense. Your letter helps me to understand your sensitivity to the words "deaf" and "mute." I am sorry to see that my use of these words seems to have caused you some distress.
Sincerely, Steve Lightle
Registered: Jul 2003
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