Animorphs Relaunch covers and updates

[Myitt]

Rachel's nickname changed? It HAS to. No kids today knwo who Xena is, or anything about her. It doesn't change the story, or the character one iota so I don't see what the big damn deal is.

Well, most book series (or books in general) don't have to be updated to make everything "current" and "in the now", so to me it detracts from the story to have to change an ingrained character nickname just to appease a new generation. 

So to me, it does change the series...but it's already done, so I'm accepting it for what it is.

[Dogman15]

So Cassie has long hair? Big whoop. She's more attractive then previous models of her? GOOD. I hated all of her earlier models.

There was only one model for Cassie on the original book covers (4 through 54), and her first name was Biko. (The Anibase itself says so.) She stayed young-enough looking and didn't have to go far away off to college like the other models did.

I actually really liked Biko, she was like the perfect Cassie: Down to Earth-looking, a farm girl, wearing modest clothes (and overalls on the cover of MM3). She didn't have to be super-attractive, and I could totally see the Jake of covers 1 through 36 having a crush on/falling in love with her.

[Slushie Man]

There was only one model for Cassie on the original book covers

Well then, that would explain why I hated them all, lol. And I couldn't stand her. Something about her just looked unnatural, like she was the only one not real and was instead created digitally or something. It's hard to explain, but she looked like a fake human.

.so where were you going with this?

Xena is just as much of a leader, if not more-so, as Storm. Both are headstrong and willing to rush into battle without thinking. I fail to see the difference between the two, that's where I'm going with it. The essence of both characters, and of Rachel, are the exact same.

they truly care about the quality of whatever it is they're complaining about.

Except the quality hasn't changed one iota.

Xena was never all that popular.

Except she was. To this day, I've never seen one single episode, however as a kid from the 90's, everyone knew who Xena and Hercules were. They were two of the biggest shows back then, and commercials for them (As well as toys, books, ect) were EVERYWHERE. Being a kid from the mid 90's and not knowing who Xena is, is like being a kid now and not knowing who Buzz Lightyear and Woody are. Even if you've never seen it, you know who the characters are.

It would be like turning Batman's nickname into "The Dark Guy" or Ax calling Jake "Mr. Jake" or just plain ole Jake, instead of "Prince Jake".

No, it's nothing like that. The change is because kids today have never even heard of Xena before and have no idea who she is, so comparing Rachel to her is a piss-poor description because they have no familiarity with who she's being compared to.

But it's more fun to be obsessive nit pickers!

Not sure how being negative about every tiny little detail is fun, but to each their own I guess.

It totally makes sense in my mind. Shut up.

Hahaha, I'm glad it does for someone, cause it doesn't in mine, lol.

t does change the series

No, I'm sorry, but changing a character's nickname does NOT change the series. It doesn't even change the character. She's still the exact same character. MAYBE if K.A. was a lesser writer and kept telling us of how strong Rachel is and all that through the nickname but never shows us, but luckily she's an excellent writer and she SHOWS us that through Rachel's actions, thus no, nothing is changed. Especially since what it's changed into, is still the exact same comparison.

[SuperBlue]

Well then, that would explain why I hated them all, lol. And I couldn't stand her. Something about her just looked unnatural, like she was the only one not real and was instead created digitally or something. It's hard to explain, but she looked like a fake human

No. This:
[spoiler]

[/spoiler]
is a fake human

[FotoPhreak12]

.so where were you going with this?

Xena is just as much of a leader, if not more-so, as Storm. Both are headstrong and willing to rush into battle without thinking. I fail to see the difference between the two, that's where I'm going with it. The essence of both characters, and of Rachel, are the exact same.

Well, I will say that Xena possess a more ruthless persona than Storm, which matches Rachel.

[Slushie Man]

No. This:

is a fake human

Egads. What is wrong with his face? lol

P.S. I am not happy that I never got an e-mail notification to this thread and instead had to come check it myself. For future reference for both this thread and others, if I don't reply in a few days, and someone has directed a response to me, it's not that I'm ignoring you, it's that getting e-mail notifications seems to only work half the time and I'm not aware of the new replies yet.

[Dogman15]

I always click the "Show new replies to your posts." link at the top to stay up with conversations. I don't bother with cluttering up my inbox.

And as for the Jake on the cover of 47, that and Megamorphs 4 was the first time they used that model. The original Jake, who was there until cover 36, was better IMO.

[Slushie Man]

Yeah, that model is, uh, kinda scary. Like a wimpy Terminator.

[LisaCharly]

For those of us who are upset about how Caucasian Marco looks, there is a petition. Whitewashing is still an unfortunate trend in popular media and since Scholastic has been receptive to fan input on the models in the past, hopefully we can get a kid who actually looks Hispanic as Marco.

I know as a child who only had Mulan as a role model who shared my race, characters that look 'like you' can be really empowering to a kid.

[Myitt]

No, I'm sorry, but changing a character's nickname does NOT change the series. It doesn't even change the character. She's still the exact same character. MAYBE if K.A. was a lesser writer and kept telling us of how strong Rachel is and all that through the nickname but never shows us, but luckily she's an excellent writer and she SHOWS us that through Rachel's actions, thus no, nothing is changed. Especially since what it's changed into, is still the exact same comparison.

Slushie, it's my opinion if I think changing a character's comparison to a headstrong warrior princess changes the series, at least a little bit.  I think Xena is a much tougher character than Storm.  You can have your own opinion, that's great, but don't be so sure of yourself that you trample on mine.    Yeesh, kid.

[Dogman15]

LisaCharly, did you start that petition? I signed as "Jordan" and donated $2 to the site.

[Myitt]

For those of us who are upset about how Caucasian Marco looks, there is a petition. Whitewashing is still an unfortunate trend in popular media and since Scholastic has been receptive to fan input on the models in the past, hopefully we can get a kid who actually looks Hispanic as Marco.

I know as a child who only had Mulan as a role model who shared my race, characters that look 'like you' can be really empowering to a kid.

Guys, maybe I'm not being sensitive enough or something, but I don't think Marco looks Caucasian...besides, I've known Hispanic people who are dark skinned, and Hispanic people who are white as paper...I think it's clear from the series that he's of Hispanic descent, and honestly, from the cover as well.

[warren_bearclaw]

I signed as well. I simply put 'Bear' there, because that's the way I'm known in the Animorphs community.

[QIfry]

For those of us who are upset about how Caucasian Marco looks, there is a petition. Whitewashing is still an unfortunate trend in popular media and since Scholastic has been receptive to fan input on the models in the past, hopefully we can get a kid who actually looks Hispanic as Marco.

I know as a child who only had Mulan as a role model who shared my race, characters that look 'like you' can be really empowering to a kid.

Guys, maybe I'm not being sensitive enough or something, but I don't think Marco looks Caucasian...besides, I've known Hispanic people who are dark skinned, and Hispanic people who are white as paper...I think it's clear from the series that he's of Hispanic descent, and honestly, from the cover as well.

I can see that model being hispanic, you're totally right about hispanic descent people are all colors of God's rainbow.

[LisaCharly]

I didn't start it, a friend did. You're right about Hispanic people having a variety of different looks, and the wording of the petition has been changed to reflect that. That kid looks pretty white, though, and I think the average person would see that kid as presumed Caucasian. Marco is described at various points in the series as having darker features, and given the dearth of minority characters in children's literature, I don't think it's okay to err on the side of whiter. Kids that look like the model already have a variety of pop culture characters to see themselves reflected in - kids with darker features don't, and since Marco intially belonged to the latter I don't think it's appropriate to lighten him up.