Belle Inspiration Meme

Several folks I watch/visit frequently have done this fun little ditty. To distract myself from a sudden influx of real-world stress, I decided to do it, too. It was fun to dig around in my head and come back with some surprising influences behind Belle. They are, in no particular order:

1) Asuka Langley Soryu, from Neon Genesis Evangelion. I never thought of her until this exercise, but Asuka's cockiness, aggressive temper, and brazen lack of interpersonal skills (along with her tendency to strike overly confident poses) was probably lurking in the back of my mind as I worked on Belle.

Honorable Mention: Misato, for her bravery, insubordinate attitude, and binge drinking.


2) Animated Madame Rouge (RINO), from Teen Titans Go!. I was watching the Brotherhood of Evil season of Titans when I wrote Belle's first stories, and Rouge's invincible arrogance and high-end powerset played a role in determining my herone's capabilities and worldview.

Honorable Mention: Dale as Rubber Bando, from Chip 'n Dale's Rescue Rangers, the first time I ever saw elasticity used as a serious superpower. Highly influential on me, but not necessarily on Belle.


3) Roxy Rocket, from Batman: The Animated Series. Another subconscious gem. A danger-junkie action girl with a flirty attitude, a talent for bad quips, and retro threads? Why hadn't I realized it before?

Honorable Mention: Batman: The Animated Series. All of it. Seriously.


4) New York Movie, by Edward Hopper. Perhaps the most predominant influence behind Belle was this painting by one of America's 20th-century masters, Edward Hopper. A lonely usherette, by herself at a movie show, thinking her own thoughts away from the audience. It's no mistake that Belle's first appearance was in a movie theater. The only reason her uniform isn't blue and red is because I got the colors mixed up in my mind.

Honorable Mention: The artwork of Darwyn Cooke, one of the 21st century's most brilliant sequential artists, and a retro master.


5) The Shadow. If you love pulp action, you love The Shadow, one of the most influential pulp heroes of them all (and one of the best comic-book movies of the '90s). Gum Belle's idol, Slouch Hat, is a riff on the Master of Darkness; I find it highly amusing that she acts in a manner completely opposite his.

Honorable Mention: Spy Smasher, star of the greatest action serial of all time.


6) The Rocketeer. The idea for Belle's double-breasted uniform came from the Rocketeer's unforgettable design. The film remains one of my all-time favorites, and had a big impact on me during my formative years.

Honorable Mention: 1990's Dick Tracy, another top film on my list -- guess where the idea for the Board of Crime came from?


7) Dee Dee, from Dexter's Laboratory. One of my most beloved characters from one of my most cherished auteurs, Dee Dee's irrepressible zest for life, talent for mischief, and unabashedly dim-bulb intellect certainly informed Belle's psychological makeup.

Honorable Mention: Buttercup, from Powerpuff Girls. Girls hasn't aged as well as Dexter's Lab has, but I can still see Belle hatching Buttercup's money-making scheme from the episode "Moral Decay" [link]


8) Last, but not least, we have the immortal Carole Lombard. A strong, funny, beautiful actress who starred in no few of the best screwball comedies of the 1930s. Her skill at madcap comedy certainly rubbed off on Belle -- and a bit of her good looks, as well.

Honorable Mention: Rosalind Russell (His Girl Friday, et al), as well as Katherine Hepburn (Bringing Up Baby).


Gum Belle original art (C) The original meme: [link]