Origin Stories

[Shisho]

So, as the last person in the gamer world to see the new Devil May Cry trailer, I was, at first, both surprised and intrigued. I thought it looked cool, and as a fan, I was excited to see it was coming out next year. Then I found out it was an origin story--and yet another prequel in the franchise-- and I wanted to throw something.

Does anyone else hate origin stories as much as I do? Why the obsession with prequels? Haven't we learned by now that they tend to suck across the board? Or are there any good ones out there that I may have forgotten because I can't get over the suckage of a black-haired Dante? (Seriously, why?)

[Shisho]

And I'm sick of reboots, too. :furious:

[Ravenwing263]

So then how were you excited about it in the first place?

From the moment we saw Dante, it had to be either a prequel or a reboot, after all.

[Chris Jones]

So then how were you excited about it in the first place?

From the moment we saw Dante, it had to be either a prequel or a reboot, after all.

I was about to say, did you only think the black hair invited major suckage when you found out it was a prequel, or...what?

[Chris Jones]

Also, more on topic, I tend to enjoy origin stories in manga more than in superhero comics. A lot of the time in superhero comics it seems like an origin is created more to fill holes than to tell a compelling story, while in manga it's usually a charge to give the hero/villain an exciting reason for being.

[Thequeerjock]

So, as the last person in the gamer world to see the new Devil May Cry trailer, I was, at first, both surprised and intrigued. I thought it looked cool, and as a fan, I was excited to see it was coming out next year. Then I found out it was an origin story--and yet another prequel in the franchise-- and I wanted to throw something.

Does anyone else hate origin stories as much as I do? Why the obsession with prequels? Haven't we learned by now that they tend to suck across the board? Or are there any good ones out there that I may have forgotten because I can't get over the suckage of a black-haired Dante? (Seriously, why?)

I'm interested in it! Prior to this, DMC 3 was basically an origin story (depending on how you look at it. It was certainly a prequel to the other three games), but I liked it.

I am mad that there will be no Nero apparently. I thought he was interesting (and sexy!), but otherwise, I like the idea.

[Tobias M]

Not crazy about origin stories, not because I think the idea itself cannot work, but because it so often fails to be executed well.

[Shisho]

I'm interested in it! Prior to this, DMC 3 was basically an origin story (depending on how you look at it. It was certainly a prequel to the other three games), but I liked it.

I am mad that there will be no Nero apparently. I thought he was interesting (and sexy!), but otherwise, I like the idea.

I wanted more Nero too, actually. And in answer to the other questions, I didn't realize it was Dante at first. I thought there was some kind of crazy psychosis going on, which could be fun. Maybe a whole new character like in DMC 4. The black hair doesn't necessarily invite suckage, but I hate that they are trying so hard to be different from the first 4.

They could have gone forward with Dante & Nero (with maybe some cameos once again by Lady and Trish) without having to go backwards into the story.

I think that's my main problem with origin stories (and most reboots). They don't really move anything forward, they just recycle old ground.

Edit: Also, queerjock, I did enjoy DMC3, but they've already done a prequel, so doing a prequel to the prequel just seemed stupid to me.

[Teal_Lantern]

I'm a sucker for origin stories, to be honest. I dunno, they just have this fun appeal to me. Like, it's nice to have one of those "and that's the origin of that" moments, like on the Simpsons.

[Shisho]

I'm a sucker for origin stories, to be honest. I dunno, they just have this fun appeal to me. Like, it's nice to have one of those "and that's the origin of that" moments, like on the Simpsons.

I guess I should probably rephrase. I don't mind discovering the origins of certain things. Flashbacks are cool, or brief snippets. When done in short portions, it can be a great deal of fun. (Example: the first 20 minutes or so of Indiana Jones 3). I think my problem is having the entire thing, from beginning to end, spoon fed to me as a reader/watcher. With very few exceptions, they seem kind of retconny to me anyway.

Going back to DMC, (and I know I shouldn't take the story of a video game so seriously, but as I say, I'm a fan), I get that they probably needed to do it at least once because Vergil is such a badass and so many people wanted to see Dante and Vergil fight. (And, story aside, the gameplay was almost as much fun as the first one.) But another backstory just seems so lame. They really could have gone in a whole new direction with Nero, while still keeping a Dante story going. (Choose a character option?)

And to answer my own question from several days ago, there is one semi-origin story I actually enjoyed reading, and it was Dream's story from Neil Gaiman's Endless Nights. But then again, that was a small part of a larger work, so I suppose it may fall into the "small snippets and flashbacks" category. Or maybe I'm just waffling. Dunno, I'm tired. ;-)

[Thequeerjock]

I dunno, after seeing the trailer, I'm definitely going to give it a look.

My one huge gripe, one I also have with DMC 3 and prequels in general, is that it once again looks like they'll be giving Dante some seriously badass and advanced weapons despite it being a prequel.

At a certain point, you look at some of the awesome weapons you got in DMC 3, and think "What, did he just move to a different house and forget to pack them or something?!"

[Teal_Lantern]

I do prefer the short snippets. Which is probably why I loved the Simpson flashback episodes and Lost, but think stuff like Hannibal Rising is just lame.

The main thing for me, is that a lot of times, the prequels just don't seem to be planned. They got all these contradictions, plot holes, etc. That's my biggest peeve.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Telling Wolverine's origin and calling him James = EPIC FAIL

[ebullientsoul]

Oh, man, after seeing that trailer and promotional art for dmc, I'm stoked. I'm a sucker for the aesthetic they chose and it looks like they're committing to it. It looks like Dante by way of Constantine, after getting into a fight.

Yes.

[Lester C.]

I love origin stories. It's retelling of origins stories I hate. Besides the fact that I hate retcons in general I really don't need to be exposed to the same material, only updated, twice. I've lost track of the comic book retellings I've read over the years.

[Thequeerjock]

People are apparently freaking out over Dante smoking a lot in the trailer, apparently because he's supposed to be a minor.

Really? I don't think there's been any official age given for him yet, but in a game franchiese filled with gore and half-naked women, are we really going to freak out over teenaged smoking?