Re-release editing/changes

[Coal Kropotkin]

The one thing that bothers me the ABSOLUTE MOST in the books, is the fact that it seems like the authors didn't really have an understanding of general animal physiology. There are some descriptions in the morphing sequences that irk me, specifically, the "backwards-pointing knee" bits. Sometimes when they morph animals like the wolf, for example, they describe the knee cracking and bending backwards. The joint it's forming is actually the ANKLE. I know... that's being really nit-picky, but it's always bugged me.

That bugged the CRAP outta me!!!!


And I agree, Kotet, The sentient/sapient thing bugged me, too. -_-

[Myitt]

Although, all the brainy stuff really did help me out on tests, including the AP Bio test (on which I scored a 5 out of 5, thank you, Visser One!)

Other animal references aren't that bad, like the termite society, dolphin behavior and of course, red-tailed hawks...

[Kotetsu1442]

I agree with what Kotetsu put in his spoiler. That's something that has always bugged me. Though I have a feeling that they won't since most kids aren't going to know the difference.

Well, I think that the fact that they are not going to know the difference is a great reason for making sure to use it right; since sapient and sentient are not already going to be in their vocabulary they can pick it up right instead of finding themselves misunderstanding and misusing them later. But I do understand your point, it probably isn't something most editors would care about; though in my mind the ideal editor is one obsessed with exactly that sort of thing.



And yeah, I agree with the sentiment, when knees kept reversing I was like "why the heck does this keep happening?", it was a while before I even really understood what was being described because it didn't make sense to me.

As far as the references/technology go, I don't know, because I almost don't feel like it is right to change an author's work or even the author to choose to do so. Too often trying to 'improve' it can remove the simple charm we loved in the first place. But if it is done carefully enough with a desire to express the same heart the original had, not just to make more cash off a ready-made idea with flashy changes to be called 'new', it can certainly turn out OK. It is certainly understandable that you don't want come across as hokey or not in touch with kids if you want them to connect to it.

[Terenia]

I agree with what Kotetsu put in his spoiler. That's something that has always bugged me. Though I have a feeling that they won't since most kids aren't going to know the difference.

Well, I think that the fact that they are not going to know the difference is a great reason for making sure to use it right; since sapient and sentient are not already going to be in their vocabulary they can pick it up right instead of finding themselves misunderstanding and misusing them later. But I do understand your point, it probably isn't something most editors would care about; though in my mind the ideal editor is one obsessed with exactly that sort of thing.

I agree entirely, because that's exactly what happened with me. I started reading Animorphs when I was ten years old and at that point words like 'sentient' and 'sapient' were not in my vocabulary at all. And until your earlier post, Kotetsu, I had no idea that they were different things. I assumed sentience was sapience because of the way it was used in Animorphs. Especially since it successfully taught me so many other words and concepts (like thermal! Fifty-four times! ).

[Alex Oiknine]

As far as the references/technology go, I don't know, because I almost don't feel like it is right to change an author's work or even the author to choose to do so. Too often trying to 'improve' it can remove the simple charm we loved in the first place. But if it is done carefully enough with a desire to express the same heart the original had, not just to make more cash off a ready-made idea with flashy changes to be called 'new', it can certainly turn out OK. It is certainly understandable that you don't want come across as hokey or not in touch with kids if you want them to connect to it.

Didn't Applegate/Grant have to go through and approve the changes? I think that's more or less appropriate. Gives a bit of a modern challenge, too - how do we explain away Rachel having a huge enough allowance to buy a Macbook with a few months of it not having an iPhone? I totally imagine Rachel's mom as being the type that would give her an iPhone in like, third grade at least.

[Coal Kropotkin]

... YEah, I can see that. Lol. Rachel would totally get an iPhone, but I think Ax would end up hookin' to get his hands on a modern Macbook while stuck on this world. (Not that Ax would hook... Damn stupid fic that's ruined my view of Animorphs. D:)

"Hey, Jake! Do you know who Posh Spice is? No? Alright, out you go, reference!"

Wait... Are... Are you saying that I live in a time where The Spice Girls are not automatically recognized by all?! D: D: But... They were hilariously horrible! *dies a little*

[Kotetsu1442]

Didn't Applegate/Grant have to go through and approve the changes? I think that's more or less appropriate. Gives a bit of a modern challenge, too - how do we explain away Rachel having a huge enough allowance to buy a Macbook with a few months of it not having an iPhone? I totally imagine Rachel's mom as being the type that would give her an iPhone in like, third grade at least.

In this case, I would say it should be apropriate, I'm willing to give KA/Grant that much of my trust; but in general I am pretty wary even when the original creator (author, director, ect.) is involved or frontlining the 'updating' because too often too often they are just trying to make some more cash to continue to support their life-style, and if you're going to try and make more money off an old series rather than making a new one, don't you dare try and push an agenda on me and insist it is better, Han shot first, darn it!

That's more what I mean when I say I'm concerned, updating references itself isn't necessarily a big deal, but it can easily lead to the editors saying "while we're changing this, lets make it more 'family-friendly' to reach a larger audience, instead of Marco beating people up as a guerrilla, lets have him throw bananas at people" and then some other yes-man says "Yeah, then he can trip over a banana peal and slide out when they are getting away, kids will love it!"


As far as the cell phone thing goes, yeah I think a modern version of Rachel would have one as a matter of course, even at that age, but not necessarily the other kids so it wouldn't be too hard to keep it from messing up the storylines, then Ax can use it to set up his wi-fi using a computer made of junked parts instead of Cassie's parents' cell phone, until he gets a newer computer from Rachel later (which would have wi-fi built in).

[Alex Oiknine]

Didn't Applegate/Grant have to go through and approve the changes? I think that's more or less appropriate. Gives a bit of a modern challenge, too - how do we explain away Rachel having a huge enough allowance to buy a Macbook with a few months of it not having an iPhone? I totally imagine Rachel's mom as being the type that would give her an iPhone in like, third grade at least.

In this case, I would say it should be apropriate, I'm willing to give KA/Grant that much of my trust; but in general I am pretty wary even when the original creator (author, director, ect.) is involved or frontlining the 'updating' because too often too often they are just trying to make some more cash to continue to support their life-style, and if you're going to try and make more money off an old series rather than making a new one, don't you dare try and push an agenda on me and insist it is better, Han shot first, darn it!

That's more what I mean when I say I'm concerned, updating references itself isn't necessarily a big deal, but it can easily lead to the editors saying "while we're changing this, lets make it more 'family-friendly' to reach a larger audience, instead of Marco beating people up as a guerrilla, lets have him throw bananas at people" and then some other yes-man says "Yeah, then he can trip over a banana peal and slide out when they are getting away, kids will love it!"


As far as the cell phone thing goes, yeah I think a modern version of Rachel would have one as a matter of course, even at that age, but not necessarily the other kids so it wouldn't be too hard to keep it from messing up the storylines, then Ax can use it to set up his wi-fi using a computer made of junked parts instead of Cassie's parents' cell phone, until he gets a newer computer from Rachel later (which would have wi-fi built in).

I understand the point, but Applegate and Grant probably make enough money off of their current works - there's no saying the reprint will take off well what with its lenticular covers and just coming back into play 9+ years later.

I only imagine Rachel having a cell phone. Marco doesn't have money at that point, Jake's kinda off on his own so I would imagine he forgets his cell phone a lot. Cassie, no way, Tobias, no way. But I'm totally sure Rachel would have been a fluent cell phone user the last few years - to prevent her from videotaping from her iPhone she'd have to have been grounded from it in book #1 or something. Or maybe the spaceship just kinda messes up electronic equipment too close to it or something.

[AniDragon]

Or maybe she left it on the charger. Lord knows I do that ALL the time.

[Alex Oiknine]

Or maybe she left it on the charger. Lord knows I do that ALL the time.

No. Rachel does not do this. She is Rachel, after all. She's always totally prepared.

However, we know from Cassie's discussion about trust (MM#4 I think???) to know Rachel gets herself into a bit of trouble once in a while.

[Acalio-Laron-Jaham]

maybe they will add in more references to the internet and add in the usage of mobile phones...although i dont think that this is very likely as having the internet and especially mobile phones in some of the anomorphs situaitopns could possible alter the story concerend in a big way.

one change that i thought of is in book #34. cassie narrates and in the beginning she mentions wwe wrestler stone cold steve austin. book #34 came out around 99-00 i think, and stone cold steve austin and wreslting was huge back then. anyway, wwe still has a large fanbase amonsgt kids nowadays, so i think in the new releasethey might change that pop culture reference of steve austin to john cena. lol.

i think that they could still keep all the arnold schawrzenegger refrences, as he is still pretty well known and relevant.

maybe they should change the singer references like 'brandy' and pop groups like backstreet boys and hansen references into the current popular singers and bands? i dunno any though, as i dont keep up with it.

car brand references i think could stay they are.

food/outlet refrences such as taco bell, radio shack and cinnabon i dont really knwo about, because there are none no outlets with those names where i am from. are they real existing places in america?

 

[Unknown User]

I think your on the right track as to what they should change and what they should leave the same. In one book, I don't remember which, Marco makes a reference to Alanis Morsett; thinks like that defeniantly need to be switched. As for Taco Bell and Radioshack, both of those thrive here in America. Cinnabon however, I know nothing about. Is it Real?

[RYTX]

taco bell, radioshack and cinnabon all exist and are plenty used
i really don't think arnold would be used still, if he is it would have to be in a different way: half a decade as governor fatten him up like a christmas ham

[Aermin]

I'm not sure how much they will change, but I imagine they'd at least update those pop-culture moments you mentioned.  It will probably come down to cost, though; is Scholastic willing to pay someone to go through the books, and find all these comments?

I think you're right about cell phones.  The most interesting part of the "Ask K. A. Applegate" thread, to me, was their comment about smartphones changing some plot points.  I don't know...any edits could say that the Animorphs are still considered too young to have their own phones, but I know that Cassie had one for emergencies - and geez, I don't know what teenagers are like with phones!    It's probably a pretty flimsy excuse.

They would also have to change how the books approach the internet.  Sure, Jake uses a chatroom, and Rachel scopes out Jeremy Jason McCole, but their whole method is relying on Ax and Marco for anything substantial.  I know six-year-olds with more computer knowledge than that.  They'd definitely have to have Melissa on Facebook, and have Marco make a few cracks about Farmville or something (Oh god, do people still play that?).  I'd really like to see them have some kind of code phrases with Erek through Twitter.

For goodness' sake, doesn't Jake have a Sega Genesis?  Or was that Marco?

food/outlet references such as taco bell, radio shack and cinnabon i dont really knwo about, because there are none no outlets with those names where i am from. are they real existing places in america?

Taco Bell is real, but I believe that RadioShack has changed their name.  I've heard of Cinnabon, but I don't have any around.  I'm pretty sure they're real.


...Oh, no, I just had a thought.  What are they going to do with Jeremy Jason McCole?  I mean, JTT isn't a big name, anymore.  Are they going to replace him with Justin Bieber?

[warren_bearclaw]

.Oh, no, I just had a thought.  What are they going to do with Jeremy Jason McCole?  I mean, JTT isn't a big name, anymore.  Are they going to replace him with Justin Bieber?

Oh no... was JJM a real person? If so, than Justin Bieber is a real threat to the series.

yeah Jake had a sega (I played one once, but Xbox would be a better reference nowadays...). And the chatroom conversation that was all cut up and confusing just doesn't happen anymore. I mean they get a little mixed up sometimes, but not nearly that bad.

I don't know what teenagers are like with phones!

(Most) Teenagers are addicted to cell phones. I've even heard of a surgical treatment that attaches one to your head (jk).

And Cinnabon is AWESOME by the way. In the words of our favorite local Andalite, "Go for the extra frosting. It's worth it!"