Im trying to start an animated series but my main character is a direct reference to two extremely popular franchise characters to the point where I will have to claim it as a parody to get it copyrighted. Is this going to be seen as a copout that I couldn't create my own character or will it be a fun reference to get people into the world i'm creating (it's a video game world).
Yes and yes. If the world itself is interesting and original (or at the very least fun) you should be fine.
Dude look at Rick and Morty, you can do it
>>83663535
Go ahead and make your first project a parody, short thing to get in practice and show what you are capable of. Then do something original.
>>83663535
Mate, you literally described Astro City and that's fantastic.
>>83663535
If it genuinely passes the legal test for parody, then it's (as far as almost anything is) an original work.
Worry more about getting the world right than about whether people will draw comparisons. If you get it right, the comparisons won't matter - but some people will make them anyway. I'm not suggesting you ignore all criticism, but you do need to be realistic about the level of it you're going to come in for - you will always find people who want to criticize your work simply because it's out there, the trick is to have a sense of perspective about it.
update fucking when
>>83663535
Go away, Chris.
>>83663535
Well who are these popular franchise characters you're basing them off of?
