A great example
Marvel and DC share a ton of similar character archetypes, which all manage to remain their own official characters
And OPs character looks nothing like Wolverine. Even if their backstories and abilities are similar, their appearance being completely different is already better than what Marvel/DC do(E.g. Namor and Aquaman)
I appreciate that note. I always fear that despite differences in design a character may seem so similar to an already pre-existing character, different design or not. But thank you, the Namor and Aquman comparison is a fair one.
Keep in mind that archetypes like these can go back thousands of years.
“Super strong guy with a bloodline from beyond the stars, raised among humans and lost his family to an overpowering force, feels guilt about that, and does acts of heroism around the world” describes both Heracles and Superman.
If anything the powers sound less like Wolverine and more like [Marrow](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sarah_Rushman_(Earth-616)) which could give you some fun inspiration on ways to use the powers.
Swore I responded to this: I never heard of marrow before and after looking her up I do like the fact that she disconnects the bones to utilize them in other ways. Might fiddle around with the idea 🤔
And Geralt is essentially from the same mold as Elric of Melnibone. Wolverine is Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, the Apollonian Dionysian conflict personified. Archetypes run deep.
Sooo… Wolverine is a Samurai (how Claremont described him to Frank Miller when pitching Wolverine 1-4), and the Samurai figure is the ultimate human in terms of a rigid adhesion to tradition and rules. Every behavior is regimented, even the act of making tea is a series of carefully controlled motions executed to perfection. Wolverine is also a feral beast. The savage, primal, ferocious animal within all of us, in perpetual conflict with the ultimate peak chivalric civilization - the samurai. Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde is after “Steppenwolf,” a depiction of the same Apollonian vs Dionysian Conflict. So is Fight Club. The war within each of us between our primal urges and the trappings of civilization. Wolverine walks the line, striving to be samurai (or a Doctor Jekyll), but often failing, becoming the beast - Mr. Hyde. That’s my take on it, anyway :)
Same, at first sight, I want straight to Fuhrer Bradley from the first FMA anime. I swear there are lots of other characters who grow bones and fight with them. While only some iterations of wolverine has the bone claws. Even then, I don't think he makes them, he just has them and is able to sheath them. Plus, for me, part of Wolverine's whole thing is the metal skeleton which you are clearly going in a different direction with. So, no worries. Your OC is unique enough. There isn't anything today that isn't based off things that came before it. Don't worry so much.
I don’t think the idea is too similar to be a “copy”.
Also, the design remembers me Geralt with Big Boss from MGS.
I think the design and the power are both really cool!!
Glad you noticed the MGS inspo! When I first created the story he's from it was very Metal gear coded. I've since changed that but yeah, big inspiration!
And also thank you, he's changed a bit over the years so I'm happy to know you like his design 😌
What if you gave him the power to manipulate calcium he swallows, too? And he has to eat meat and calcium to heal/alter his bones? Makes it interesting and more unique!
Honestly I like that idea. Could play into a potential weakness of his healing/immortality and play more into the fact that everybody sees him as a bear of a man.(He's 7'6" so I think eating a shit load is plausible)
Yk, someone on insta made that comparison recently and I was shocked I never noticed it before. Especially since I like Deathstroke lmao. But despite design, he's definitely completely different from him—personality and morality wise.
Werewolves or the animal wolverine itself; is where they don't align. When I made this character years ago, I always drew inspo from an albino grizzly. But Yeah, everything else, ability wise, is why I'm kinda like eh...
If you feel he’s too close to Wolverine (which I honestly say isn’t the case, similar power sets does not a rip off make, plenty of characters have similar powers but are their own thing, the key I feel is in the character as a person.)
Maybe include a bit more body manipulation/personal biokenesis/flesh warping? That way you could say all his abilities are just different expressions of the same power set. His bone weapon is just him manipulating his own bones into a shape he feels he can use, and healing, durability, and longevity are just him using that power to accelerate/augment the healing process/reinforce his body by selectively increasing density. Maybe include other characters with the same power set, but who use it very differently. Like say someone who specializes in using the insane levels of flexibility this could theoretically enable. Or someone who tries to push it far as possible, arguably further then they should. Where this character could be thought of as analogous to a wild animal, this theoretical character (who could work well as a villian if you wanted to go with a natural vs unnatural, or animal vs monster theme) tries warping themselves so far it goes into the realms of true body horror, like they try turning themselves into the Thing.
Ah this is really helpful! The personal biokinesis does actually fit better with what I had in mind. When I envisioned him in combat I pictured him not always using his weapons, the varied use of his bone was certainly something I had considered I was just unsure how to execute it. But you explained it in a much better way that I couldn't. The reason I picked the katar as the referenced weapon is because there is a variation of it that pops out a third or fourth blade, which made me consider the idea of him switching between weapon modes.
The bottom concept is a very intriguing idea—while I didn't describe the power/magic system, this definitely could fit into a failed test subject who couldn't handle the ability. Thank you!
I think one very obvious way to make them distinct is to not limit him just to hand-claws. If his power is bone manipulation, then it sounds like he would be able to make bone armour as well. Such as starting with bone gauntlets, and then growing up his arms until he's completely covered in bone plates and spikes.
Yeah! I was honestly picturing that's how he utilized it. Just a bit more limited. He wouldn't strictly rely on the "katar" shaped bone weapon but more hand to hand stuff. The weapon would be more of a, combat option while he's beating someone up. I wanted to give him a weakness though and that's why I limited how much of himself he can cover, so he is unfortunately restrained to mostly working with bone esque-arm gauntlets and (still a wip) face/mouth guard.
Borrowing things from a character and outright stealing are two wildly different things. This character
has enough going for them that they feel distinct, so I think you should be good.
Also with the power set you mentioned he sounds much more similar to Kimimaro from Naruto than he does wolverine. I’d recommend looking him up if you have never heard of him. Might also inspire some new stuff you never thought of.
At the end of the day there are only so many powers (that are actually useful) it’s not really about the powers, it’s about the character behind them. So long as you avoid adamantium claws I think you are just fine haha
Ignoring how he's almost nothing like Wolverine in any meaningful way:
Deathstroke and Deadpool
Superman and Invincible
Dr. Strange and Dr. Fate
Batman Beyond and Spider-Man 2099
Lobo and Sabertooth
Characters resemble other characters all the time. It's impossible to control what people are going to assume. An immortal soldier with animalistic abilities isn't even a Wolverine exclusive description. There are numerous vampire or werewolf characters like this, among many other types of situations. In fact, this is just the premise of the entire Western genre, as well as many other stories about warriors of some kind.
>If it is too unoriginal
Characters with high regeneration and the ability to grow horns are a common trope and Wolverine is no difference to that.
Since many animals have retractable claws and spurs the concept isn't new to humanity. Invulernability due to rapid regeneration isn't new either. There are a bunch of Greek Heroes that were either Impervious to wounding or said to be healing rapidly.
Of course, the idea of claws and such are usually associated with Monsters, but there are a whole bunch of regenerating monsters in mythology.
So to answer the question of originality: No, its not original. Nothing ever is.
Like for example, i watched a video just the other day that went over all the "sources" J.K. Rowling stole Harry Potter from. From Earth Sea to the Worst Witch. What i am trying to say with this is: Wheter a thing feels fresh or unoriginal depends entirely on what you do with it. (And how much your intended reader base is familiar with the concept. Like for example, you wouldn't easily get away with a Harry Potter Knock Off, outside a Parody, if you were to write a story about a magical school)
Trains taking people into a magic wonderland are about as "original" as the existence of Trains.... and people having a sword fight over a lover also never goes out of style. Although one could say the swords grow and shrink.
Showing someone their big F-off weapon to intimidate them isn't original and yet about everyone probably once in their lives did their worst Aussie Dialect to say "That's not a knife, this is a knife".
So yes, there isn't anything original about a grizzled Vet growing bone spurs. But whether or not it feels Original will largely depend on what you do with it. Tropes exist for a reason, usually because they are popular. And if its a good trope or a bad trope always depends on the execution.
Also fun fact: Wolverines Claws weren't always part of his mutation. That was a retcon. Used to be Wolverines Mutation were heightened senses and regeneration. The Claws were mechanical implants. Around the mid 90ties they wanted to write an "old man" story about a Wolverine that had the Adamantium removed... which meant they had to give him bone claws... when pointed out that those were mechanical implants they went "aww, shucks, you know he always had claws but the government just implanted the claws over his natural ones". Which then eventually evolved into his natural claws being coated in Adamantium.
Thank you for this in-depth response! Everything you said rings true—ig I'm just a massive overthinker. Ik a lot of people here have said they see other characters in his design (which majority of the comparisons were not inspos) but Wolverine came to mind bc I started getting back into x-men kick recently.
Also yes, surprisingly, I did know about his retconned claw origins I just didn't realize how recent it was. Truly interesting that they flipped around the concept so old man logan could have something unique when he handles foes.
Hehe. Without the Claws Wolverine is just another Sabertooth. The amount of Marvel characters with Regeneration powers is staggering. But generally people remember Wolverine as being "THAT" guy. despite there being a whole army of regeneration characters.
And that is mostly because while regeneration is Wolverine's thing, the reason you care for him is because of everything else. When people talk about why they like Wolverine, they probably bring up his Rivalry with Scott because of Jean, where his seems to be largely also somewhat fatherly. Or they like how Prof X and Storm always kinda respect him because he is so fiercly protective. Or any of the other traits. The Curmudgeon with the heart of gold.
He is so many tropes. There is actually a very long TV Tropes article about Wolverine. He is a super Tropey character.
It is the way it is executed that makes him unique.
>Ik a lot of people here have said they see other characters in his design
I don't see Wolverine at all in the pictures you posted. To me the "old grizzled vet with an eye patch" is largely some anime trope. Like Big Boss in Metal Gear, or Gouken from Street Fighter (with an eye patch) or [Hogan from Tokyo Afterschool Summoner](https://image.tensorartassets.com/cdn-cgi/image/anim=true,w=500,q=85/model_showcase/694517828604356318/0fc0e516-2aea-0479-89f3-0b117402da19.png). Or any other white haired, eye patch super butler or military guy... that looks way past his prime and then barehanded rips his shirt and is buff like a 20 year old Arnold Schwarzenegger about to murder everyone.
And i am not writing this to discourage you from the use. I am writing this to point out that there is nothing new under the sun. Humanity told stories for as long as they had speech and set around a camp fire. As long as you are not lazy in your use of the character, and just copy them 1 to 1, nobody is gonna really care as long as you make the character your own.
Worry more about making the character yours, then wheter or not someone will go "oh that guy is like that other guy i know". You will always have that and you can't escape it. If you are worried about him being to much like Wolverine, then examine why you feel he is to much like Wolverine and if you want to change that.
There is something i think that might help you... the Author Jim Butcher made a bet. That it isn't the ideas that make things successful but the execution. And then as part of the bet (i am paraphrasing you can look up the exact story) they gave him the writing prompt of "Pokemon" and "Roman Legion". And he wrote a bestseller series. Codex Alera has multiple entries by now and is probably one of his best known works, next to the Dresden Files.
So don't worry. Just make it your own. If you think he is like Wolverine, make him yours.
Swore I responded to this, I'm sorry for the late reply. Also, honestly, thank you. Never heard of Codex Alera but that's really interesting and I might look into(seeing as how I'm a massive pokemon fan lol.)
I think I'm getting more of a better vision in my head of how he goes about using his abilities it's definitely hard to separate the idea that so many characters have arm related weapons (Optimus prime, Wolverine, Edward Elric etc.) but I'll try to own it in my own way and make it uniquely him. Once again thank you, your responses were really insightful. I'm still a little bit of an overthinker but I really think you and the others here have helped me look at differently!
Bro he’s cool as hell. Bone weapons aren’t Wolverine patented (see Kimimaro from Naruto for example) and immortality to any degree is common enough that no one can own it. You’re good, and keep up the stellar work!
As I've responded to others, it's surprisingly pure coincidence that he shares similarities with those two 😅 I do like said characters tho, so probably my preference subconsciously worked it's way in when I first created him.
I think it sounds cool and has enough uniqueness to separate it from Wolverine. Readers will notice the similarities but just because it reminds them if something doesn't mean it's bad.
Okay, so here it is.
*Wolverine* is a trademarked only to the precise extent that it features the picture of the comic book character. Because it’s so diluted by use (Wolverine brand outdoor gear; the Michigan Wolverines; etc).
*Wolverine* the copyright is going to go about as far as if someone literally was using the character in a work without permission. Though features? Found in a lot of works. You can make a “Wolverine”-like character in *Heroes Unlimited*. “Healing” factor is not a unique feature.
Copyright also is based upon directly stealing the “golden nugget” of a work and appropriating it for a commercial purpose. Wolverine’s innate copyright is more his personality, style, and that kind of thing, not the list of shit he can do.
I think you’ll be fine. But what do I know? I’m just a intellectual property lawyer
I mean yes they would be yours but I would absolutely roast you for it in my reviews and then for the Full Metal Alchemist AI Armstrong with hair as a bonus round.
Inspiration is fine but if it's that transparent copying you are bound to have complaints. So what's the difference materially between the characters? Not superficially but what makes them actually unique?
I can find a dozen similar characters to my bandit cowboy turned preacher. I just also know that he is mine and it's the story that will make the difference as much as the character
Understandable and true 🤔 also lmao at the "Armstrong with hair" sidenote.
In terms of uniqueness, I dunno. He's a country guy that joined the ranks when he was about 16 and was brainwashed. He stayed in that same military for years until he was able to reform it himself and change it for the better. Although he did all of that begrudgingly, he was never initially the leader type. He's quiet, often times more concerned about work and never really stays in one place. He's a bit of a freak when it comes to fighting, in a way that I'd describe it as him getting high off of it. He's also in denial of his own problems but it's quite evident war and immortality have fucked him up a bit.
I'm not sure if he's unique but I have put much thought and care into his personal story. Sorry for the ramble 😅
No apologies needed..I think he sounds well thought out and there's a lot of direction for this story.
He has a chance to find peace or to cause pain. So with this I am way more interested than with the original description. Yes he is immortal with a healing factor but... He has his memories. He has knowledge of the consequences of his actions and that is very different from Wolverine. So he's definitely unique.
I am glad you answered this because sometimes we can all get in our heads about this stuff but it's what you do with your archetypes and tropes that matters and this tells me you have got a great handle on this character. Anything that doesn't work can be fixed in editing
Yeah I definitely get stuck in my head about certain things, worrying It'll seem unoriginal or a copy of whatever inspired me. Your response has helped me look at him from a better perspective, I usually write stuff on a whim and develop characters as I go so I appreciate the feedback. I would ramble more if I could but I don't want to bore ya lol. Thank you for your input tho!
Okay so I wouldn't be bored. I enjoy these discussions or I would have said nothing. Don't write yourself off and lose the connections you can make by being excited and sharing.
My process is a mixture of planning and as the sub calls it pantsing. I do a draft of what if, then I refine it. It's in the refining/editing part that the story is grounded into consistency and I worry about things being too similar to something else. I don't really worry about that with experience but it's not bad to be aware of the stories you have consumed and how they influence you. That's actually a valuable tool in writing. We get told the lie that only original stories have value so that has to be unique and nothing else like it. We are at the same time told there are no new stories. The truth is that everyone's version of a set of tropes or story will be unique because we are. So what we bring into these stories is the gift.
It took me a long time to really believe that and I still stumble when I think about my audience with writing so I don't until the final story draft (the final grammar draft is it's own thing)
Dude looks amazing! Go off king!
I have the same issues, sometimes so I have to constantly keep in mind that copyright laws are weird and right now you're still small fish so even if you have similarities they're not gonna pay too much attention. (As long as it's not a Mickey Mouse)
Thank you lol.
Copyright is for sure a slippery slope (looks at Nintendo) but that's why I'm just being cautious. A character's eyes could look a certain way and some company might copyright it 🤷🏽♂️
Haven't watched it but I have heard and seen clips of it. Ik majority of them are parodies or knock offs of others but I don't want necessarily go that route 😅
A lot of the justifications presented here miss the point: characters created by billionaire dollar media corporations either now or back in the day when they were practically ripping each other off every time you turned around are not good examples of what you or I can get away with. DC and Marvel can afford lawsuits that allege copyright infringement… can you afford one if they filed one against you?
It pays to be a little more cautious about your character designs and backstory. Wolverine is really not the one you’d need to worry about, as the overall design and character backstories are completely different. But if, at a glance, a bunch of respondents have pegged the visual similarities to one or two other major characters from noted media properties, it’s worth it to scrutinize the character to insure that the differences are very clear.
And make sure you duly file what you need to file in order to have everything on the books with various registries. You just don’t want to find out how much time and energy the legal divisions for these media companies actually have.
Honestly up until I made this post I never pegged the FMA similarities or Deathstroke(which may be bc he's very different from said characters.) The Snake claim is reasonable, mgs was a big inspo but aside from similar elements, he's nothing like Snake. Same for Geralt, not an inspo but I understand the comparison.
I do appreciate your response and will def take it into consideration. As others here have responded, nothing will be original nowadays and I'm gonna try working my way into make old/or well known things unique in their own way for my story. Thank you!
He looks like the type of guy I'd write fanfiction about ngl
(And, to answer your question, I kinda doubt it. I've seen many similar characters from different franchises, but as long as they had their own little twists to it, everything was chill)
This is flattering lmao. As the only person atm who writes and draws about my OCs I don't think I ever considered someone else writing about them. (And thank you! I feel like he's different enough. Yeah he's rough around the edges and smokes a little but I think he's pretty different in comparison to Logan/wolverine personality wise)
I must say, the character itself seems pretty original. As someone who also makes OCs, he seems like the type of character whose lore I would literally devour. (Not to mention bro is very simpable)
Haha thank you! Out all my OCs I figured he wouldn't be considered simp-able(despite him being an amalgamation of my interests lol.) I do hope his lore is interesting, not gonna ramble about it here because I'm shit at explaining stuff briefly, but I have fine tuned his personal backstory over the years so he's got that going for him.
This is a cool design, I like your art a lot, as others have said on a surface level he looks more like Snake and Fuhrer Bradley so it sounds like he's got enough different inspirations other than Wolverine that he simply must be his own thing.
Also I'm curious why his regeneration doesn't regenerate his eye, is it the case that he lost his eye before getting powers or it was a magical weapon or something else? Also I'm just a big Katar fan, I'm Punjabi and growing up Katar's were my favourite weapon and I'm glad to see they're becoming so much more prominent in media now because I feel like even 5 years ago no one knew what they were.
Thank you! Compared to his other peers in my story, his design has stayed rather consistent. Ofc I changed a few things(i.e hairstyle, clothing preference, and some other accessories)
As to why his eye wasn't able to heal: there is another character in the story, who's name is Kuro, that can negate the abilities of others. They were buds once but then got into a big fight and then Kuro used one of his combat knives and permanently messed his eye up. He wasn't able to heal bc Kuro's ability stopped it from happening. (The autopsy scar on his chest is also permanent but that's another backstory)
And yes! I love learning about all kinds of weapons; when I stumbled upon the Katar I was very interested in the way it worked and how it was utilized, especially when they made it able to unsheathe a third blade or shoot. I wasn't aware of the weapon until I saw it while looking into other things but it certainly deserves more spotlight, it has so much potential.
Interesting, that's a cool backstory. Also here's a fact about Katars that probably won't be helpful but I thought I'd share it in case, Katars were apparently used by Sikh noblewomen because Sikhs are supposed to always carry a blade but Katars could be hidden in their robes (which I guess they weren't supposed to look like they had weapons?) but either way my dad got one of these Katars (that had been made specifically for women, as in the handle was for people with smaller hands) from the era for my step mom when they got married as it's Sikh custom to get your spouse a weapon.
That's honestly a very interesting detail! I didn't know about that aspect, only heard about it's initial use and piercing chainmail. It may not seem like a helpful fact but I enjoy all types of new information so thank you for sharing!
As long as his background wasn’t he was in a weapon Z programme and they grafted Toughium to his bones later finding out he has a clone daughter I think your good 👍
Marvel can’t copyright the idea of a claw-wielding hero who has regenerative abilities, the only aspects of Wolverine they can copyright is his appearance and to some extent his name.
In regard to originality, I don’t think you’ll have to worry too much either. People will point out similarities between them, a few idiots might even call your character a rip-off, but most people aren’t going to view your character as lesser for taking some inspiration. Everything takes inspiration from something.
its an archetype , it doesnt mean its the same forexample , wolverine had a turnabout in his character besides being and ugly little man with more rizz that adamantium in his body , he became a ninja/samurai follower of a comics code version of the bushido and eventually a teacher and a highhly respected leader and hero even being a killer
In a sense, no original ideas exist. You will always have something be familiar, and if it's truly original people probably won't like it anyway because it'll be too alien.
As far as I'm aware yes but, unlike the other comparisons under this post, Horah Loux's combat/move set actually inspired the way how I imagine my OC fights.
I’d say that this character is about as similar to Wolverine as any flying character is to super man. like yeah, sure if you put them side by side you’d see similarities, but not so much that it is in any way copying.
Anyway, I think this is a super cool design and character, as well as great art :) would love to read a story with this guy in there.
Thank you! And true, others here have helped stop thinking so narrowly and realize a lot of popular characters (dc, marvel, any media out there really) share a lot of similarities.
Also, I do hope to make the story he belongs to a real thing one day. Just gotta figure out if I want it to be a novel or graphic novel lol
Make it more than just a weapon that is held in or a part of his hands. 200 bones and we gotta resort to chop stick claws? Nope. Hell, just have him grapple and solidify his grip with bone. Pierce his joints with long spikes, tear off pieces of himself that are significantly hardened or sharpened to wield as a club while coming back together.
Have him bite an opponent and grow long interwoven teeth inside the body reaching out to cripple their nervous system or shred an organ.
Have him keep it a secret from enemies until he has a hold of them. Have him try to impale an enemy and grab a hold of their spine to then grow his fingers entirely around it and push it the rest of the way out their back as a quarter staff for him.
Let his hardest fights be a race against blood loss as his sanity throws away his ability to function with each desperate attack.
Have him forget how to heal into his old self as he destroys himself in fights. Make him fail to make his arm back without some impairment until he connects his stump to a corpse as his proper arm grows out from inside the dead flesh.
Where he can’t really attach foreign body parts but his own body can follow the roads to get him back to where he needs to be.
Bro lemme just say you really made me have a lightbulb moment after reading your responses. I always pictured him having a grapple style approach to combat but I was so set on him having some signature weapon it was cornering me. But this really helped me weigh my options.
His whole thing is being this really terrifying guy with abilities that aren't op or "outstanding" I guess I should say(like gravity manipulation or electromagnetism.) He also definitely has his limits but I like the ideas/scenarios you laid out. I think I'll try drawing&writing up some concepts for it to work it out! Thank you kind stranger 🫡
Ok first of all, DILF. Second of all, I definitely didn’t instantly think Wolverine when I saw him tbh. Their backstories also seem significantly different, as well as the setting over all. My best advice is let go of the fear of “copying” another character/story and just accept that ultimately, everyone draws inspiration from everything else. It’s ok to share similarities and take inspiration from characters you like, as long as it doesn’t cross over the line into “obvious ripoff”.
Okay true. Personality, design, etc they are extremely different but I guess my fear is how iconic Wolverine made the claws. But you're right, gotta stop overthinking and just go with the flow. Also thank you, I draw many dilf-esque characters 🫡
More like sabertooth but animal based characters, especially werewolf adjacent characters, are not going to be seen as ripoffs because of a few similar points. If anything, that's Sebastian from Overlord.
Yk I always heard/saw Sebas Tian in passing and this caused me to finally look him up. Bro seems pretty goated. Also yeah, I was trying to avoid the talons aspect that Sabretooh and Timbre Wolf have but I think I can't escape the inevitable. 😅
Honestly, I like the idea. It feels inspired by, not copying. I'm no Marvel expert, I just like the character slightly more than most other Marvel characters I barely know, so I'd say I'm a good example of your average auditable.
Wolverine, to my knowledge, is a bitter, immortal, ex soldier, lab rat, and at least twice as old as he looks. He's feral, in my perception, in a normal way, not like he turns into an animal, but he's just a man with such a strong violent ferocity that it's like an animal, not like he truly goes into an animal state.
Your character has to have a little more of a level head outside of his feral state, and a love of his nation, or some form of order to be a general. You also nsfw no mention of experimentation, and the blade weapon, even if attached to his body, is not a claw. He also looks like a gentlemen willing to take the gloves is when needed, not like the rough biker/ animal Logan looks like. He kinda gives me high class strongman vibes from looking at him.
I think you've got nothing to worry about.
Thank you for this. I'm honestly surprised you were able to gather that from his design! He's definitely inspired by him, in recent days as I've been binging comics and video essays.
The way I see it, I would describe my character as someone who was forced to be "domesticated". Not by others but by fate itself. Before he was the general, he was a reckless country boy who was a monster on the battlefield, with a shit temper in comparison to the present. He was animalistic in methods but grew up essentially. Now his whole thing is keeping himself in check, he has people to look after and a state to run. He's fighting to prove that he has changed and is much more ashamed when he does "lose control". I look at it and compare it to someone who was once hooked on a substance, now sober. So yeah, he's not exactly a highclass kind of guy but he does know when and when not to start shit.
Thank you again for your input, really put things in to perspective for me.
I mean frankly his ability is closer to sabertooths than wolverines, if I’m not mistaken sabertooth also heals, has feral instinct, but uses hardened claw nail things.
But the character is very unique compared to either case. You really don’t need to worry about people having similar powers. I mean if you did, Omni man, captain marvel, homelander, etc etc would all be considered bad characters. They’re not because while the share similarities it’s the unique differences that make them interesting.
It will only feel original if you make it original, which so far sounds great! Don’t over think it. Just focus on presenting the character how you choose and best fits your narrative. Comparisons can and will be made, but He is YOUR creation. It doesn’t sound like a rip off, set your heart at ease! 😄
Thank you. I always get a little anxious about originality with my characters bc I try to gauge what would be cool or interesting to work with and get a little worried when I fall back on something well-known/common. But you're right, I'll try to not overthink about it that much!
Does Thanos get copyrighted for being similar to Darkseid? No. I think you're good.
A great example Marvel and DC share a ton of similar character archetypes, which all manage to remain their own official characters And OPs character looks nothing like Wolverine. Even if their backstories and abilities are similar, their appearance being completely different is already better than what Marvel/DC do(E.g. Namor and Aquaman)
I appreciate that note. I always fear that despite differences in design a character may seem so similar to an already pre-existing character, different design or not. But thank you, the Namor and Aquman comparison is a fair one.
Keep in mind that archetypes like these can go back thousands of years. “Super strong guy with a bloodline from beyond the stars, raised among humans and lost his family to an overpowering force, feels guilt about that, and does acts of heroism around the world” describes both Heracles and Superman.
Wow, people keep making really good points 😅 this is a great example.
Looks like old Solid Snake with Wolverine powers.
Sign me up, baby
Thanks. You get a follow.
Looks a bit more like Snake Plissken got old and distinguished tbh
Okay fair point lol
I don’t see how this guy seems all that similar to Wolverine. Bone weapons & being immortal I guess? That’s not all that similar
Yeah, honestly the powers aren't even all that close. And he looks much more like Snake.
Snake was a heavy inspo behind his creation when I first made him 2 yrs ago so that's definitely a valid comparison :v
If anything the powers sound less like Wolverine and more like [Marrow](https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sarah_Rushman_(Earth-616)) which could give you some fun inspiration on ways to use the powers.
Swore I responded to this: I never heard of marrow before and after looking her up I do like the fact that she disconnects the bones to utilize them in other ways. Might fiddle around with the idea 🤔
Solid Snake or Snake Plissken?
Specifically, Solid Snake. Plissken is goated tho
And even Snake is an (admitted) rip off of Escape from New York.
Yeah, if anything he's similar to geralt from the Witcher series.
I saw him as a cross between Geralt and Old Snake. 🙃
And Geralt is essentially from the same mold as Elric of Melnibone. Wolverine is Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, the Apollonian Dionysian conflict personified. Archetypes run deep.
I don't get the Wolverine is Jekyl / Hide comparison... Now if you comparewd Jekyl to Bruce Banner.......
Sooo… Wolverine is a Samurai (how Claremont described him to Frank Miller when pitching Wolverine 1-4), and the Samurai figure is the ultimate human in terms of a rigid adhesion to tradition and rules. Every behavior is regimented, even the act of making tea is a series of carefully controlled motions executed to perfection. Wolverine is also a feral beast. The savage, primal, ferocious animal within all of us, in perpetual conflict with the ultimate peak chivalric civilization - the samurai. Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde is after “Steppenwolf,” a depiction of the same Apollonian vs Dionysian Conflict. So is Fight Club. The war within each of us between our primal urges and the trappings of civilization. Wolverine walks the line, striving to be samurai (or a Doctor Jekyll), but often failing, becoming the beast - Mr. Hyde. That’s my take on it, anyway :)
Honestly he reminds me more of Fuhrer Bradley from Fullmetal Alchemist, but he still seems both original enough and cool enough to remain in the story
Ok, I'm not the only one. I just made a comment about this.
Same, that was my very first thought. And because of this, if he hadn't been specifically referenced, I wouldn't even have thought of Wolverine.
Same, at first sight, I want straight to Fuhrer Bradley from the first FMA anime. I swear there are lots of other characters who grow bones and fight with them. While only some iterations of wolverine has the bone claws. Even then, I don't think he makes them, he just has them and is able to sheath them. Plus, for me, part of Wolverine's whole thing is the metal skeleton which you are clearly going in a different direction with. So, no worries. Your OC is unique enough. There isn't anything today that isn't based off things that came before it. Don't worry so much.
Lol it's funny you say that bc while no, I didn't take inspo from King Bradley, I am a fma fan. Maybe the furher was just subconsciously on my mind.
Bradley + Geralt
THANK YOU I was trying to figure out why he looks so familiar!!
I don’t think the idea is too similar to be a “copy”. Also, the design remembers me Geralt with Big Boss from MGS. I think the design and the power are both really cool!!
Glad you noticed the MGS inspo! When I first created the story he's from it was very Metal gear coded. I've since changed that but yeah, big inspiration! And also thank you, he's changed a bit over the years so I'm happy to know you like his design 😌
Looks more like a pirate Geralt
Originality is not that important a concern. Aim for competent execution, and you'll be fine!
True. I've definitely mulled over the idea of how to execute the idea differently so I'll try to mess around with the concept a bit more.
What if you gave him the power to manipulate calcium he swallows, too? And he has to eat meat and calcium to heal/alter his bones? Makes it interesting and more unique!
Honestly I like that idea. Could play into a potential weakness of his healing/immortality and play more into the fact that everybody sees him as a bear of a man.(He's 7'6" so I think eating a shit load is plausible)
He looks like the DC villain Deathstroke.
Yk, someone on insta made that comparison recently and I was shocked I never noticed it before. Especially since I like Deathstroke lmao. But despite design, he's definitely completely different from him—personality and morality wise.
werewolves grow claws, feral state, super healing...
Werewolves or the animal wolverine itself; is where they don't align. When I made this character years ago, I always drew inspo from an albino grizzly. But Yeah, everything else, ability wise, is why I'm kinda like eh...
This man looks like he could bench a metal gear ray.
He could probably bench a MG Ray with a Rex on top of it 😶🌫️
Am I the only one getting Big Boss?
This one is a lot more like Fuhrer King Bradley from FMA to me. But with slightly different coloring.
Rather than wolverine, this is Solid Geralt: Witcher eater
Maybe assassins creed hidden blade forearm bone swords?
I've considered those before, wasn't sure if they were his style though. Similar to Katars or tekko-kagis but idk, they felt a bit too awkward ykwim?
Baraka's blades from Mortal Kombat is where I thought you were headed...
Holy shit, completely forgot about Baraka. Valid train of thought tbh, not as otherworldly but similar use of arm grown weapons 🤔
Dudes yoked 💪 His claws look sick, I have similar characteristics in my vampires
Thank you! I considered keeping the claws/long nails look but I am hella indecisive lol
I based mine on the witch from left for dead and my lore reason behind it is that the bones in the hands calcify into claws
If you feel he’s too close to Wolverine (which I honestly say isn’t the case, similar power sets does not a rip off make, plenty of characters have similar powers but are their own thing, the key I feel is in the character as a person.) Maybe include a bit more body manipulation/personal biokenesis/flesh warping? That way you could say all his abilities are just different expressions of the same power set. His bone weapon is just him manipulating his own bones into a shape he feels he can use, and healing, durability, and longevity are just him using that power to accelerate/augment the healing process/reinforce his body by selectively increasing density. Maybe include other characters with the same power set, but who use it very differently. Like say someone who specializes in using the insane levels of flexibility this could theoretically enable. Or someone who tries to push it far as possible, arguably further then they should. Where this character could be thought of as analogous to a wild animal, this theoretical character (who could work well as a villian if you wanted to go with a natural vs unnatural, or animal vs monster theme) tries warping themselves so far it goes into the realms of true body horror, like they try turning themselves into the Thing.
Ah this is really helpful! The personal biokinesis does actually fit better with what I had in mind. When I envisioned him in combat I pictured him not always using his weapons, the varied use of his bone was certainly something I had considered I was just unsure how to execute it. But you explained it in a much better way that I couldn't. The reason I picked the katar as the referenced weapon is because there is a variation of it that pops out a third or fourth blade, which made me consider the idea of him switching between weapon modes. The bottom concept is a very intriguing idea—while I didn't describe the power/magic system, this definitely could fit into a failed test subject who couldn't handle the ability. Thank you!
Do your thing. Own it. Do it confidently, and it’ll be better for it.
I think one very obvious way to make them distinct is to not limit him just to hand-claws. If his power is bone manipulation, then it sounds like he would be able to make bone armour as well. Such as starting with bone gauntlets, and then growing up his arms until he's completely covered in bone plates and spikes.
Yeah! I was honestly picturing that's how he utilized it. Just a bit more limited. He wouldn't strictly rely on the "katar" shaped bone weapon but more hand to hand stuff. The weapon would be more of a, combat option while he's beating someone up. I wanted to give him a weakness though and that's why I limited how much of himself he can cover, so he is unfortunately restrained to mostly working with bone esque-arm gauntlets and (still a wip) face/mouth guard.
This looks more like louis armstrong from fma than wolverine
only in that one illustration, to me he looks like Bradley
The fma comparisons were not something I expected but they are certainly not unwelcome! First Armstrong comparison I've gotten though :O
Cuz of muscle and pose
Borrowing things from a character and outright stealing are two wildly different things. This character has enough going for them that they feel distinct, so I think you should be good. Also with the power set you mentioned he sounds much more similar to Kimimaro from Naruto than he does wolverine. I’d recommend looking him up if you have never heard of him. Might also inspire some new stuff you never thought of. At the end of the day there are only so many powers (that are actually useful) it’s not really about the powers, it’s about the character behind them. So long as you avoid adamantium claws I think you are just fine haha
Rather than wolverine, this one feels more like Geralt
I don’t think you’ll have issues at all. It looks amazing!
Ignoring how he's almost nothing like Wolverine in any meaningful way: Deathstroke and Deadpool Superman and Invincible Dr. Strange and Dr. Fate Batman Beyond and Spider-Man 2099 Lobo and Sabertooth Characters resemble other characters all the time. It's impossible to control what people are going to assume. An immortal soldier with animalistic abilities isn't even a Wolverine exclusive description. There are numerous vampire or werewolf characters like this, among many other types of situations. In fact, this is just the premise of the entire Western genre, as well as many other stories about warriors of some kind.
Your character is hot as fuck dude; the dilf vibes are immaculate
Haha thank you! Dilf characters are my specialty 🫡
I will follow your career with great interest; I also have a large collection of dilf OCs
>If it is too unoriginal Characters with high regeneration and the ability to grow horns are a common trope and Wolverine is no difference to that. Since many animals have retractable claws and spurs the concept isn't new to humanity. Invulernability due to rapid regeneration isn't new either. There are a bunch of Greek Heroes that were either Impervious to wounding or said to be healing rapidly. Of course, the idea of claws and such are usually associated with Monsters, but there are a whole bunch of regenerating monsters in mythology. So to answer the question of originality: No, its not original. Nothing ever is. Like for example, i watched a video just the other day that went over all the "sources" J.K. Rowling stole Harry Potter from. From Earth Sea to the Worst Witch. What i am trying to say with this is: Wheter a thing feels fresh or unoriginal depends entirely on what you do with it. (And how much your intended reader base is familiar with the concept. Like for example, you wouldn't easily get away with a Harry Potter Knock Off, outside a Parody, if you were to write a story about a magical school) Trains taking people into a magic wonderland are about as "original" as the existence of Trains.... and people having a sword fight over a lover also never goes out of style. Although one could say the swords grow and shrink. Showing someone their big F-off weapon to intimidate them isn't original and yet about everyone probably once in their lives did their worst Aussie Dialect to say "That's not a knife, this is a knife". So yes, there isn't anything original about a grizzled Vet growing bone spurs. But whether or not it feels Original will largely depend on what you do with it. Tropes exist for a reason, usually because they are popular. And if its a good trope or a bad trope always depends on the execution. Also fun fact: Wolverines Claws weren't always part of his mutation. That was a retcon. Used to be Wolverines Mutation were heightened senses and regeneration. The Claws were mechanical implants. Around the mid 90ties they wanted to write an "old man" story about a Wolverine that had the Adamantium removed... which meant they had to give him bone claws... when pointed out that those were mechanical implants they went "aww, shucks, you know he always had claws but the government just implanted the claws over his natural ones". Which then eventually evolved into his natural claws being coated in Adamantium.
Thank you for this in-depth response! Everything you said rings true—ig I'm just a massive overthinker. Ik a lot of people here have said they see other characters in his design (which majority of the comparisons were not inspos) but Wolverine came to mind bc I started getting back into x-men kick recently. Also yes, surprisingly, I did know about his retconned claw origins I just didn't realize how recent it was. Truly interesting that they flipped around the concept so old man logan could have something unique when he handles foes.
Hehe. Without the Claws Wolverine is just another Sabertooth. The amount of Marvel characters with Regeneration powers is staggering. But generally people remember Wolverine as being "THAT" guy. despite there being a whole army of regeneration characters. And that is mostly because while regeneration is Wolverine's thing, the reason you care for him is because of everything else. When people talk about why they like Wolverine, they probably bring up his Rivalry with Scott because of Jean, where his seems to be largely also somewhat fatherly. Or they like how Prof X and Storm always kinda respect him because he is so fiercly protective. Or any of the other traits. The Curmudgeon with the heart of gold. He is so many tropes. There is actually a very long TV Tropes article about Wolverine. He is a super Tropey character. It is the way it is executed that makes him unique. >Ik a lot of people here have said they see other characters in his design I don't see Wolverine at all in the pictures you posted. To me the "old grizzled vet with an eye patch" is largely some anime trope. Like Big Boss in Metal Gear, or Gouken from Street Fighter (with an eye patch) or [Hogan from Tokyo Afterschool Summoner](https://image.tensorartassets.com/cdn-cgi/image/anim=true,w=500,q=85/model_showcase/694517828604356318/0fc0e516-2aea-0479-89f3-0b117402da19.png). Or any other white haired, eye patch super butler or military guy... that looks way past his prime and then barehanded rips his shirt and is buff like a 20 year old Arnold Schwarzenegger about to murder everyone. And i am not writing this to discourage you from the use. I am writing this to point out that there is nothing new under the sun. Humanity told stories for as long as they had speech and set around a camp fire. As long as you are not lazy in your use of the character, and just copy them 1 to 1, nobody is gonna really care as long as you make the character your own. Worry more about making the character yours, then wheter or not someone will go "oh that guy is like that other guy i know". You will always have that and you can't escape it. If you are worried about him being to much like Wolverine, then examine why you feel he is to much like Wolverine and if you want to change that. There is something i think that might help you... the Author Jim Butcher made a bet. That it isn't the ideas that make things successful but the execution. And then as part of the bet (i am paraphrasing you can look up the exact story) they gave him the writing prompt of "Pokemon" and "Roman Legion". And he wrote a bestseller series. Codex Alera has multiple entries by now and is probably one of his best known works, next to the Dresden Files. So don't worry. Just make it your own. If you think he is like Wolverine, make him yours.
Swore I responded to this, I'm sorry for the late reply. Also, honestly, thank you. Never heard of Codex Alera but that's really interesting and I might look into(seeing as how I'm a massive pokemon fan lol.) I think I'm getting more of a better vision in my head of how he goes about using his abilities it's definitely hard to separate the idea that so many characters have arm related weapons (Optimus prime, Wolverine, Edward Elric etc.) but I'll try to own it in my own way and make it uniquely him. Once again thank you, your responses were really insightful. I'm still a little bit of an overthinker but I really think you and the others here have helped me look at differently!
No, your good as long as hes different enough
Bro he’s cool as hell. Bone weapons aren’t Wolverine patented (see Kimimaro from Naruto for example) and immortality to any degree is common enough that no one can own it. You’re good, and keep up the stellar work!
Looks different enough. You should be fine. I'm seeing bits of deathstroke and wrath from full metal alchemist brotherhood in this..
As I've responded to others, it's surprisingly pure coincidence that he shares similarities with those two 😅 I do like said characters tho, so probably my preference subconsciously worked it's way in when I first created him.
I believe as long as you don't make him say "Bud" you're good to go. Many won't even realize the similiarity
True! I also read that you can't use Wolverine's infamous "Snikt!" Sound either lol
Can I see more of your guy somewhere now or future? Because he looks awesome and fine as fugg! *looking at pic 2 and 4*
Haha thank you! Atm I haven't posted him much anywhere else (besides Twitter and insta) but I do hope to one day publish the story he's from 🫡
I think it sounds cool and has enough uniqueness to separate it from Wolverine. Readers will notice the similarities but just because it reminds them if something doesn't mean it's bad.
Looks more like Geralt of Rivia to me
As long as the character is not a direct copycat, you're fine. Your character wasn't really that similar to Wolverine so you're fine.
Kind of unrelated but the art is great
Thank you!
Doesn't look like Wolverine and has completely different powers from Wolverine. Daddy Dilf here is very much safe.
Okay, so here it is. *Wolverine* is a trademarked only to the precise extent that it features the picture of the comic book character. Because it’s so diluted by use (Wolverine brand outdoor gear; the Michigan Wolverines; etc). *Wolverine* the copyright is going to go about as far as if someone literally was using the character in a work without permission. Though features? Found in a lot of works. You can make a “Wolverine”-like character in *Heroes Unlimited*. “Healing” factor is not a unique feature. Copyright also is based upon directly stealing the “golden nugget” of a work and appropriating it for a commercial purpose. Wolverine’s innate copyright is more his personality, style, and that kind of thing, not the list of shit he can do. I think you’ll be fine. But what do I know? I’m just a intellectual property lawyer
Thank you, this was honestly quite insightful lol
There are a lot of wolverine type characters out there.
As I always say. If Palworld can get away with it so can you.
Is this your own art? It's very good! :D
Yes! These are majority of the drawings I made of him that I still like lol 😅 And thank you!
No problem! Best of luck with your project!
Copyrighted by who? Unless you literally call your character Logan/Wolverine and give him the same comic suit, no one can do anything to you.
I mean yes they would be yours but I would absolutely roast you for it in my reviews and then for the Full Metal Alchemist AI Armstrong with hair as a bonus round. Inspiration is fine but if it's that transparent copying you are bound to have complaints. So what's the difference materially between the characters? Not superficially but what makes them actually unique? I can find a dozen similar characters to my bandit cowboy turned preacher. I just also know that he is mine and it's the story that will make the difference as much as the character
Understandable and true 🤔 also lmao at the "Armstrong with hair" sidenote. In terms of uniqueness, I dunno. He's a country guy that joined the ranks when he was about 16 and was brainwashed. He stayed in that same military for years until he was able to reform it himself and change it for the better. Although he did all of that begrudgingly, he was never initially the leader type. He's quiet, often times more concerned about work and never really stays in one place. He's a bit of a freak when it comes to fighting, in a way that I'd describe it as him getting high off of it. He's also in denial of his own problems but it's quite evident war and immortality have fucked him up a bit. I'm not sure if he's unique but I have put much thought and care into his personal story. Sorry for the ramble 😅
No apologies needed..I think he sounds well thought out and there's a lot of direction for this story. He has a chance to find peace or to cause pain. So with this I am way more interested than with the original description. Yes he is immortal with a healing factor but... He has his memories. He has knowledge of the consequences of his actions and that is very different from Wolverine. So he's definitely unique. I am glad you answered this because sometimes we can all get in our heads about this stuff but it's what you do with your archetypes and tropes that matters and this tells me you have got a great handle on this character. Anything that doesn't work can be fixed in editing
Yeah I definitely get stuck in my head about certain things, worrying It'll seem unoriginal or a copy of whatever inspired me. Your response has helped me look at him from a better perspective, I usually write stuff on a whim and develop characters as I go so I appreciate the feedback. I would ramble more if I could but I don't want to bore ya lol. Thank you for your input tho!
Okay so I wouldn't be bored. I enjoy these discussions or I would have said nothing. Don't write yourself off and lose the connections you can make by being excited and sharing. My process is a mixture of planning and as the sub calls it pantsing. I do a draft of what if, then I refine it. It's in the refining/editing part that the story is grounded into consistency and I worry about things being too similar to something else. I don't really worry about that with experience but it's not bad to be aware of the stories you have consumed and how they influence you. That's actually a valuable tool in writing. We get told the lie that only original stories have value so that has to be unique and nothing else like it. We are at the same time told there are no new stories. The truth is that everyone's version of a set of tropes or story will be unique because we are. So what we bring into these stories is the gift. It took me a long time to really believe that and I still stumble when I think about my audience with writing so I don't until the final story draft (the final grammar draft is it's own thing)
Dude looks amazing! Go off king! I have the same issues, sometimes so I have to constantly keep in mind that copyright laws are weird and right now you're still small fish so even if you have similarities they're not gonna pay too much attention. (As long as it's not a Mickey Mouse)
Thank you lol. Copyright is for sure a slippery slope (looks at Nintendo) but that's why I'm just being cautious. A character's eyes could look a certain way and some company might copyright it 🤷🏽♂️
Have you seen “the boys”? They’re all (mostly) knock off characters.
Haven't watched it but I have heard and seen clips of it. Ik majority of them are parodies or knock offs of others but I don't want necessarily go that route 😅
A lot of the justifications presented here miss the point: characters created by billionaire dollar media corporations either now or back in the day when they were practically ripping each other off every time you turned around are not good examples of what you or I can get away with. DC and Marvel can afford lawsuits that allege copyright infringement… can you afford one if they filed one against you? It pays to be a little more cautious about your character designs and backstory. Wolverine is really not the one you’d need to worry about, as the overall design and character backstories are completely different. But if, at a glance, a bunch of respondents have pegged the visual similarities to one or two other major characters from noted media properties, it’s worth it to scrutinize the character to insure that the differences are very clear. And make sure you duly file what you need to file in order to have everything on the books with various registries. You just don’t want to find out how much time and energy the legal divisions for these media companies actually have.
Honestly up until I made this post I never pegged the FMA similarities or Deathstroke(which may be bc he's very different from said characters.) The Snake claim is reasonable, mgs was a big inspo but aside from similar elements, he's nothing like Snake. Same for Geralt, not an inspo but I understand the comparison. I do appreciate your response and will def take it into consideration. As others here have responded, nothing will be original nowadays and I'm gonna try working my way into make old/or well known things unique in their own way for my story. Thank you!
He looks like the type of guy I'd write fanfiction about ngl (And, to answer your question, I kinda doubt it. I've seen many similar characters from different franchises, but as long as they had their own little twists to it, everything was chill)
This is flattering lmao. As the only person atm who writes and draws about my OCs I don't think I ever considered someone else writing about them. (And thank you! I feel like he's different enough. Yeah he's rough around the edges and smokes a little but I think he's pretty different in comparison to Logan/wolverine personality wise)
I must say, the character itself seems pretty original. As someone who also makes OCs, he seems like the type of character whose lore I would literally devour. (Not to mention bro is very simpable)
Haha thank you! Out all my OCs I figured he wouldn't be considered simp-able(despite him being an amalgamation of my interests lol.) I do hope his lore is interesting, not gonna ramble about it here because I'm shit at explaining stuff briefly, but I have fine tuned his personal backstory over the years so he's got that going for him.
So, when is thou releasing the book? * Proceeds to puppy eyes*
that has yet to be determined 😶🌫️ (can't decide if I'm going the graphic novel route or just regular novel)
This is a cool design, I like your art a lot, as others have said on a surface level he looks more like Snake and Fuhrer Bradley so it sounds like he's got enough different inspirations other than Wolverine that he simply must be his own thing. Also I'm curious why his regeneration doesn't regenerate his eye, is it the case that he lost his eye before getting powers or it was a magical weapon or something else? Also I'm just a big Katar fan, I'm Punjabi and growing up Katar's were my favourite weapon and I'm glad to see they're becoming so much more prominent in media now because I feel like even 5 years ago no one knew what they were.
Thank you! Compared to his other peers in my story, his design has stayed rather consistent. Ofc I changed a few things(i.e hairstyle, clothing preference, and some other accessories) As to why his eye wasn't able to heal: there is another character in the story, who's name is Kuro, that can negate the abilities of others. They were buds once but then got into a big fight and then Kuro used one of his combat knives and permanently messed his eye up. He wasn't able to heal bc Kuro's ability stopped it from happening. (The autopsy scar on his chest is also permanent but that's another backstory) And yes! I love learning about all kinds of weapons; when I stumbled upon the Katar I was very interested in the way it worked and how it was utilized, especially when they made it able to unsheathe a third blade or shoot. I wasn't aware of the weapon until I saw it while looking into other things but it certainly deserves more spotlight, it has so much potential.
Interesting, that's a cool backstory. Also here's a fact about Katars that probably won't be helpful but I thought I'd share it in case, Katars were apparently used by Sikh noblewomen because Sikhs are supposed to always carry a blade but Katars could be hidden in their robes (which I guess they weren't supposed to look like they had weapons?) but either way my dad got one of these Katars (that had been made specifically for women, as in the handle was for people with smaller hands) from the era for my step mom when they got married as it's Sikh custom to get your spouse a weapon.
That's honestly a very interesting detail! I didn't know about that aspect, only heard about it's initial use and piercing chainmail. It may not seem like a helpful fact but I enjoy all types of new information so thank you for sharing!
As long as his background wasn’t he was in a weapon Z programme and they grafted Toughium to his bones later finding out he has a clone daughter I think your good 👍
Malekith the edgy dark elf king from warhammer and Malekith the edgy dark elf king from marvel seem to be doing ok
Lmao. Haven't gotten into warhammer yet but this is pretty funny. Didn't know TWO dark, edgy, elven kings shared the same name 😂
I promise you, you're more than fine.
Marvel can’t copyright the idea of a claw-wielding hero who has regenerative abilities, the only aspects of Wolverine they can copyright is his appearance and to some extent his name. In regard to originality, I don’t think you’ll have to worry too much either. People will point out similarities between them, a few idiots might even call your character a rip-off, but most people aren’t going to view your character as lesser for taking some inspiration. Everything takes inspiration from something.
its an archetype , it doesnt mean its the same forexample , wolverine had a turnabout in his character besides being and ugly little man with more rizz that adamantium in his body , he became a ninja/samurai follower of a comics code version of the bushido and eventually a teacher and a highhly respected leader and hero even being a killer
I love this character design. He looks like Geralt of Rivia and Solid Snake had a baby and this guy was the result. Love it!
Thank you! It's funny to imagine this guy being the product of Snake and Geralt 😂
Reminds of Snake from metal gear
In a sense, no original ideas exist. You will always have something be familiar, and if it's truly original people probably won't like it anyway because it'll be too alien.
Am I the only one who saw this and thought of Horah Loux, the Warrior?
As far as I'm aware yes but, unlike the other comparisons under this post, Horah Loux's combat/move set actually inspired the way how I imagine my OC fights.
Depends on how you do it
Wolverine isn't a very original character to begin with
True but he is iconic :')
I'm right now seeing more Big Boss/Naked Snake in this appearance than Wolverine
Well that's better for me, since Snake was the og inspo when I first made him 😌
I’d say that this character is about as similar to Wolverine as any flying character is to super man. like yeah, sure if you put them side by side you’d see similarities, but not so much that it is in any way copying. Anyway, I think this is a super cool design and character, as well as great art :) would love to read a story with this guy in there.
Thank you! And true, others here have helped stop thinking so narrowly and realize a lot of popular characters (dc, marvel, any media out there really) share a lot of similarities. Also, I do hope to make the story he belongs to a real thing one day. Just gotta figure out if I want it to be a novel or graphic novel lol
Make it more than just a weapon that is held in or a part of his hands. 200 bones and we gotta resort to chop stick claws? Nope. Hell, just have him grapple and solidify his grip with bone. Pierce his joints with long spikes, tear off pieces of himself that are significantly hardened or sharpened to wield as a club while coming back together. Have him bite an opponent and grow long interwoven teeth inside the body reaching out to cripple their nervous system or shred an organ. Have him keep it a secret from enemies until he has a hold of them. Have him try to impale an enemy and grab a hold of their spine to then grow his fingers entirely around it and push it the rest of the way out their back as a quarter staff for him. Let his hardest fights be a race against blood loss as his sanity throws away his ability to function with each desperate attack.
Have him forget how to heal into his old self as he destroys himself in fights. Make him fail to make his arm back without some impairment until he connects his stump to a corpse as his proper arm grows out from inside the dead flesh. Where he can’t really attach foreign body parts but his own body can follow the roads to get him back to where he needs to be.
Bro lemme just say you really made me have a lightbulb moment after reading your responses. I always pictured him having a grapple style approach to combat but I was so set on him having some signature weapon it was cornering me. But this really helped me weigh my options. His whole thing is being this really terrifying guy with abilities that aren't op or "outstanding" I guess I should say(like gravity manipulation or electromagnetism.) He also definitely has his limits but I like the ideas/scenarios you laid out. I think I'll try drawing&writing up some concepts for it to work it out! Thank you kind stranger 🫡
Gives strong Wrath vibes from FMA
Ok first of all, DILF. Second of all, I definitely didn’t instantly think Wolverine when I saw him tbh. Their backstories also seem significantly different, as well as the setting over all. My best advice is let go of the fear of “copying” another character/story and just accept that ultimately, everyone draws inspiration from everything else. It’s ok to share similarities and take inspiration from characters you like, as long as it doesn’t cross over the line into “obvious ripoff”.
Okay true. Personality, design, etc they are extremely different but I guess my fear is how iconic Wolverine made the claws. But you're right, gotta stop overthinking and just go with the flow. Also thank you, I draw many dilf-esque characters 🫡
More like sabertooth but animal based characters, especially werewolf adjacent characters, are not going to be seen as ripoffs because of a few similar points. If anything, that's Sebastian from Overlord.
Yk I always heard/saw Sebas Tian in passing and this caused me to finally look him up. Bro seems pretty goated. Also yeah, I was trying to avoid the talons aspect that Sabretooh and Timbre Wolf have but I think I can't escape the inevitable. 😅
To be fair, he looks cooler than Sabretooth
It's okay, you're fine, keep going
Or Deathstroke.
Honestly, I like the idea. It feels inspired by, not copying. I'm no Marvel expert, I just like the character slightly more than most other Marvel characters I barely know, so I'd say I'm a good example of your average auditable. Wolverine, to my knowledge, is a bitter, immortal, ex soldier, lab rat, and at least twice as old as he looks. He's feral, in my perception, in a normal way, not like he turns into an animal, but he's just a man with such a strong violent ferocity that it's like an animal, not like he truly goes into an animal state. Your character has to have a little more of a level head outside of his feral state, and a love of his nation, or some form of order to be a general. You also nsfw no mention of experimentation, and the blade weapon, even if attached to his body, is not a claw. He also looks like a gentlemen willing to take the gloves is when needed, not like the rough biker/ animal Logan looks like. He kinda gives me high class strongman vibes from looking at him. I think you've got nothing to worry about.
Thank you for this. I'm honestly surprised you were able to gather that from his design! He's definitely inspired by him, in recent days as I've been binging comics and video essays. The way I see it, I would describe my character as someone who was forced to be "domesticated". Not by others but by fate itself. Before he was the general, he was a reckless country boy who was a monster on the battlefield, with a shit temper in comparison to the present. He was animalistic in methods but grew up essentially. Now his whole thing is keeping himself in check, he has people to look after and a state to run. He's fighting to prove that he has changed and is much more ashamed when he does "lose control". I look at it and compare it to someone who was once hooked on a substance, now sober. So yeah, he's not exactly a highclass kind of guy but he does know when and when not to start shit. Thank you again for your input, really put things in to perspective for me.
Frankly, he resembles Big Boss from the Metal Gear series more than Wolverine, both in appearance and in methods.
I mean frankly his ability is closer to sabertooths than wolverines, if I’m not mistaken sabertooth also heals, has feral instinct, but uses hardened claw nail things. But the character is very unique compared to either case. You really don’t need to worry about people having similar powers. I mean if you did, Omni man, captain marvel, homelander, etc etc would all be considered bad characters. They’re not because while the share similarities it’s the unique differences that make them interesting.
when your little tiny baby eyepatch accidentally gets sucked into your eye socket
If this is a critique on the size of his eyepatch, then I'll tell you simply I like showing his other brow lol
Naw. All fictional characters are inspired by something.
I think you're fine, he's using claws, not knives shooting out from between his knuckles.
It will only feel original if you make it original, which so far sounds great! Don’t over think it. Just focus on presenting the character how you choose and best fits your narrative. Comparisons can and will be made, but He is YOUR creation. It doesn’t sound like a rip off, set your heart at ease! 😄
Thank you. I always get a little anxious about originality with my characters bc I try to gauge what would be cool or interesting to work with and get a little worried when I fall back on something well-known/common. But you're right, I'll try to not overthink about it that much!