tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62718594550181355.post7684862578575671201..comments2024-03-17T07:43:18.311-04:00Comments on 80 Page Giant: It Came From the Dollar Bin: Brute Forceawa64http://www.blogger.com/profile/02418713241704510016noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62718594550181355.post-71129881956681920722014-07-29T12:35:37.112-04:002014-07-29T12:35:37.112-04:00I think I can answer a few questions, the first on...I think I can answer a few questions, the first one being “Who is Charles Viola?” That would be me. <br /><br />It’s not surprising that few comic fans know who I am. What little I’ve done in the comic field has been for very young readers. I wrote Heathcliff stories for Marvel’s Star line; The New Kids on the Block for Harvey Comics; and The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and Yogi Bear for Archie Comics.<br /><br />In late 1989, as a designer in the toy business with a background in television, I approached Marvel with some ideas that could work as comics, cartoons, and toys. Marvel was interested in going in that direction at that time and so I met with Editor-in-Chief Tom DeFalco and publisher Judy Fireman to show them some concepts. <br /><br />They both liked a dolphin character I had created who had a bionic suit that allowed him to move about on land and operate equipment. He could communicate with people via a translator that converted his dolphin squeals into human speech. Tom De Falco wanted me to create a line of similar animal characters and vehicles and so the project was born. He brought in Bob Budiansky, who was the editor for Transformers, and Sid Jacobson, who was the editor of Marvel’s Star Comics. The five of us met over the next few months to develop the concept and we ended up creating a team of animal heroes whose main mission it was to protect the environment.<br /><br />During the time we were developing the concept, Marvel, which had recently changed ownership, also changed direction. In addition, Marvel’s licensing department was not interested in using their time and resources to promote unknown characters, when it was so much easier for them to market well-known properties like Spiderman and The Hulk.<br /><br />Marvel released a four-issue mini-series to test the market reaction, but we knew ahead of time that sales would be slim because the line was really aimed at the younger market who watched Saturday morning cartoons and bought toys, not for the age group that generally bought comics.<br /><br />With a changing company, an unenthusiastic licensing department, and unimpressive comic sales, the project never stood much of a chance. <br /><br />I think it may have been the right idea at the wrong time. Interest in the environment has grown stronger today than it was back then. So has awareness of animal intelligence and the possibilty of communicating with animals using advances in computer technology. With Marvel’s prominence now in movies and with the perfection of computer animation, the Brute Force characters could really come alive today in a way that they couldn’t back in 1990. Look at Rocket Racoon for example in Guardians of the Galaxy.<br /><br />I do find it interesting that, even though only four issues of Brute Force were published, it’s still being talked about nearly a quarter century later. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13045250017598083708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62718594550181355.post-2765912918947965722014-04-25T00:35:59.406-04:002014-04-25T00:35:59.406-04:00Um, my uncle is Charles Viola, and no it's not...Um, my uncle is Charles Viola, and no it's not a pseudonym. It had been brought up before about how he worked with Marvel on the Brute Force comics, but I can't remember what exactly he did, though it was significant.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05846676019676369380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62718594550181355.post-89606182201961882072012-07-11T10:42:50.164-04:002012-07-11T10:42:50.164-04:00Ah! Thank you for that clarification, Bob! I'd...Ah! Thank you for that clarification, Bob! I'd personally send some licensing fees your way for that shark on a T-shirt. :)J.J. Ulmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12386426230143297171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62718594550181355.post-35901609227722102602012-07-11T10:03:56.340-04:002012-07-11T10:03:56.340-04:00To give credit (or blame) where credit is due, I b...To give credit (or blame) where credit is due, I believe then-Marvel Editor in Chief Tom DeFalco was the primary mover behind the Brute Force concept. As Simon correctly states, it was Marvel's attempt to create a franchise that it would own and then be licensed to toy companies and the like for further exploitation. All Marvel would then have to do is sit back and collect those fat licensing fees; I believe those checks are still in the mail. As editor, I'm sure I contributed a few ideas to the development of Brute Force, but I really don't remember what they were. The wing on the letter "B" of the logo looks like something I would have come up with...Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12276432631293020397noreply@blogger.com