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Umlaut House
From Comixpedia
| Umlaut House | |
| Creator(s) | Allan C. Ecker |
| Website(s) | http://www.maskedretriever.com/comics.html |
| Update Schedule | Twice weekly |
| Launch Date | August 15, 2000 |
| Genre | Furry |
| Rating(s) | PG-13 |
Umlaut House was a furry comic created by Allan C. Ecker, which focused on a small cast of characters, and their interactions with each other. The series is best described as a comedy, with significant science fiction overtones. The current series of Umlaut House has ended, but the artist has since moved on to creating Umlaut House 2. Umlaut House 2 is a bit more dramatic in places, but retains the general good natured humour of the original. The sequel centers around the children of the original cast, though the original cast makes frequent appearances as background characters.
A common theme for both comics is sexuality, though it is presented in Umlaut House (original) without rancor and with good natured humour. Even though the characters deal with their own sexuality -- and to some extent, the sexuality of others -- it is kept in perspective: all characters are who they are, and just that. They deal with their lives with no pity for themselves or others, and no drama. In Umlaut House 2, sexuality is represented in much the same way, it's merely an aspect of the character, and not the character themselves. It does however, deal more with some of the inner turmoil and pain that the exploration of one's sexuality can bring. It should be noted, that despite sexuality being a prevalent theme, Umlaut House and Umlaut House 2 are friendly, and non-offensive comics, which stick closely to a PG-13 rating. This is no nudity, despite suggestive themes at times.
Contents |
[edit] Characters In Umlaut House
[edit] Volair Enricho Lee
One of the main three characters, Volair is an electrical engineering student in a local university. At least, most of the time. Little known to most of the other characters, or at least little believed by those that DO know, Volair is actually a member of the Spy Guild, a group of secret agents who are recruited at a young age, enhanced with cybernetics, and rigorously trained to protect the earth from destabilizing forces. Little has currently been revealed about the Spy Guild, but that may change in the future. For now, they seem to be a mysterious, but benevolent force in the world.
[edit] Saundra Marie Bifrost
Another of the three main characters, Saundra is the most serious of the three. Though she has the capability to relax, and become just as silly and irreverant as Volair, she generally is more focused on her work, and thus, easier to arouse to annoyance. Saundra is one of the few characters to know of Volair's double life, but she has dismissed it as the fox merely making up stories. She is open minded, and friendly, if perhaps more reserved and serious than Volair. Although she will not admit it, she has a strong crush on Volair.
[edit] Jacob Alexander Miller
Jake is the final of the three main characters introduced at the beginning of the comic. Jake's large size and build are somewhat misleading, because he truly is a gentle giant. With a keen mind, and soft heart, Jake's main weakness seems to be his own "squirrelyness"; he is easy to panic, and can remain panicked for some time. This ease of anxiety is referred to by his family and the other characters as the "Miller Panic Gene", presumably in a joking fashion.
[edit] Liz "The One Woman Psychiatric Ward" Parker
Few concrete things are known about Liz, other than she's Volair's partner in the Spy Guild, and an apparent friend of Saundra. Liz has a talent for telling it like it is, and does so whenever she appears. She appaears infrequently in the strip, thus little else is known, including how she got the title of "The One Woman Psychiatric Ward".
[edit] Doctor Richard "Rick" Hundecoph
Richard Hundecoph is a brilliant man with a questionable past. Though most of his past is presented humourously, and sympathetically towards him, it is believed that he has likely done some very evil things in his lifetime. This past has caused a struggle within the good doctor, leaving him prone to fits of depression, self-loathing, and self-pity. Despite that, he honestly does want to reform himself, and become a better man. Currently hunted by the Spy Guild, the doctor is laying low, and attempting to stay out of their sight, while he searches for stability in his life. He has a variety of devices from his former life, including a gender-reversal ray and a variety of spare bodies that he uses for manual labor.
[edit] Amanda Cartright
Amanda is a character introduced later in the strip, and seems to share many personality quirks with Volair. Like Volair, she is highly intelligent, bisexual, and often irreverant. She has a habit of testing those she goes out with by using a fake phone number. In reality, the number is simply the first ten digits of Pi. She refuses to date anyone who doesn't recognize it as such immediately, which is proof of her high intellectual standards. Despite this, she is not arrogant, or a snob, and friendly towards all, even those that fail the test.
[edit] Calvin Gauss
Calvin is among the last characters introduced into the story, by way of the crush he has on Saundra. Having met her during class, Calvin is enraptured with the panda, because of her formidable intelligence. We are left to assume that Saundra's attractiveness and general pleasantness are more like bonuses to him, because his main reason for pursuing her is her intelligence. Calvin can be panicked almost as easily as Jake, and has a difficult time standing up for himself, marking him as a true "geek". Despite his quirks however, he's a kind man, and lovable all the same.
[edit] Leonard
Although introduced early, little is revealed about Leonard, though some theories can be made. What is known is that Leonard is Saundra's TV, and he is apparently self-aware. He has named himself after Leonard Nimoy, and because of this, is assumed to have a somewhat "male" personality. He has been shown before to have limited movement, even when unplugged, though he doesn't seem tempted to move that much, he only does so after being allowed to watch "COPS". Leonard's unique construction gives him a universal awareness of his own input regarding both broadcast and cable channels. He greatly prefers being hooked up to cable to being forced to "listen" only to broadcast TV. He also has awareness of the area around himself, apparnetly possessing the senses of both sight and hearing. His ability to process touch, smell and taste is unknown. Physical threats mean nothing to Leonard, who merely quips that Saundra would repair him, and scold whoever hurt him. For this reason, it is plausible that Leonard's consciousness is not tied directly to his frame, as the loss of his "body" seems to be somewhat inconsequential to him. Leonard is a rarely used character, most often reserved for comedic effect.
[edit] Ascici Thorpe
Ascici is a character with a unique condition: about every two weeks or so, his memory goes blank. He forgets who he is, who he knows, where he is, and pretty much everything about himself. To combat this, he has been keeping a careful diary of his own actions since the first time this happened. The first time he "recalls" having it happen, may or may not actually have been the first. And what happned to him before that, no one knows. He eventually ends up at the Umlaut House as another roommate for Saundra and Volair, albeit an interesting one.
[edit] Characters In Umlaut House 2
[edit] Pierce Lee
Pierce has been the character with the most focus thus far in Umlaut House 2, and is one of the main characters of the new series. Son of Volair and Saundra, Pierce is a high school student trying to deal with an unusual world. His monther is a famous professor, his father is a retired spy, and one of his best friend's fathers is a reformed mad scientist. Given all of this, Pierce is an assumed to have built up a high tolerance for weird. Despite that, Pierce is still coming to grips with his own realization of being bisexual, which has caused him some inner turmoil. Despite it not being the stigma that it once was, Pierce doesn't like the thought of being so different, and he dislikes the idea of the teasing and stigma even more.
[edit] Rhonda Hundecoph
Rhonda is Pierce's best friend, and the daughter of an unlikely couple: Jake Miller and Dr. Richard Hundecoph. She was conceived through the good doctor turning Jake into a female for the duration of the pregnancy. At first, Rhonda's only real purpose seems to be causing trouble, and in particular, making Pierce miserable. Despite her sarcastic, rebellious, and somewhat careless attitude, we are given glimpses that Rhonda is truly a good person at heart, and cares for Pierce deeply. This apparent love however, does not stretch into the romantic sense, with Rhonda displaying apparent disgust when informed by another female that Pierce is "cute". Their relationship is best described at this point as being sibiling like.
[edit] Eliza Dolittle
Little is known about some of the characters in the newest comic, and what information is availble comes more from actions than words. Eliza goes to the same school as Pierce and Rhonda, and also apparently is a member of the Spy Guild. She is also under the tuteledge of Doctor Hundecoph, who has apparently reformed completely, and now aids the Spy Guild. Eliza is assumed to be gay due to the fact that Rhonda announced this to Pierce, and Eliza put up no argument about the fact. It could be mistaken information though.
[edit] Sissy Fusselton
Sissy Fusselton is a student of Saundra's, and pointed out as a possible mad scientist in the making. Though the faculty worries about her going rogue, other than idle chat, they don't seem to do much about it. Sissy is brilliant, but has a very pronounced version of megalomania, which can make her somewhat unpredictable. Or perhaps, scarily predictable.
[edit] Alice Gauss
Alice is the apparent child of Calvin Gauss and Amanda Cartright, though we have not been told this for certain. It seems likely though, as she displays both species and personality traits from her mother and father. She is a terrible tease, in all respects. She teases Pierce about whatever she can, while apparently flirting mildly with him. She is able to work out that he also, is bisexual, but is sworn to silence by Rhonda. Alice seems undisturbed by this, not wishing to do anything to upset Pierce, whom she regards as attractive.
[edit] Lain Gauss
Lain is Alice's sister, but much more than that we're not told. It has been stated that Lain is into sports, and works very hard at it. More than this, we don't currently know.
[edit] Alex
First introduced as a nameless boy that makes Pierce realize he's not entirely straight, Alex is slowly being fleshed out as a supporting character. He seems to put his foot in his mouth occasionally with comments he doesn't think through all the way, but seems to be a pleasant person on the overall. He's on the football team, and unlike most of the other students, he has no wetware installed to enable him to play games, or surf the net. He says he can't afford the distraction.
[edit] External links
[edit] Credit
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