MAIN CHARACTERS
Pappy
Pappy's character portrays a retired Air Force
mechanic who has become a bit of a cynic. It could be
that he's seen it all, done it all, heard it all to
the point that very little surprises him. He gets his
name from the fact that he is the oldest member of the
maintenance department. There's not much that rattles
him as he barely looks up from his newspaper while
conversing with a co-worker but he is a wealth of
experience, knowledge, and common sense.
Sparky
Sparky's character was designed to contrast
with Pappy's although they manage to find common
ground on most issues. He's fresh from an enlistment
in the Navy as an electrician, hence his nickname, but
he's still naive and full of youthful optimism, just
the sort of thing to make Pappy roll his eyes or shake
his head. It's likely that Sparky reminds Pappy of
his younger self. Pappy has taken Sparky under his
wing and is showing him the ropes but, at the same
time, Sparky may be tempering Pappy's cynical view.
When I'm writing dialog for these two characters, I
sometimes feel as if I'm having a conversation
between my younger self and my present day self. I
feel the dialog works well even though the characters
are separated by a generation. They have a lot to
offer, and a lot to learn, from each other.
Lowbrow
Lowbrow is the last of the main characters. This trio
forms the nucleus of my strip. Lowbrow is a
maintenance supervisor and nemesis, (read
protagonists), to both Pappy and Sparky...just one
more thing they have in common. Lowbrow is a
conglomeration of the different personalities of every
supervisor I've had to work for or with. The
maintenance department continues to operate smoothly
in spite of him and his well-intentioned supervisory
efforts. His is a thankless job...one that I've tried
temporarily. It's nothing I'd care to do on a
permanent basis. I guess it's human nature to
criticize those in authority and I try to avoid the
cheap shots while maintaining a tongue-in-cheek
approach. Supervisors are an essential part of any
organization and it has to be done by somebody. I'm
just glad I don't have to do it and for that, my hat
is off to them.
Augie
I've always thought that name was funny. Augie
portrays a character that is a bit of a dimwit.
Slower than molasses in the wintertime, his work
ethics are right on the edge of "Why bother?". I've
met many personalities like his in my travels but
these folks often surprise me with an occasional
insightful observation. I sometimes feel I
under-estimate these folks and maybe some of them are
just putting on an act. They make life interesting
even if they are exasperating at times. With Augie,
one never knows what's going on behind those
half-closed eyes. Is he a disinterested party or so
far in over his head that his best comment is "No
comment." Whatever the capacity of his mental
faculties, Augie fits the bill for a character that
would be considered as sharp as the leading edge of a
basketball.
Edith
Edith is the sole female in the maintenance
department. She runs maintenance control in an
efficient and professional manner. She is responsible
for scheduling work, accounting for tools and parts,
inputting computer data, and being a part-time
secretary, although that is not in her duty
description! In a field dominated by men, she is in
the position to dictate and control their
actions...much the same way my wife does for me at
home.
Slick
Slick is the cool, suave, and sophisticated type -- full
of confidence. He knows his job well enough to be
self-assured but arrogance is not his style. He is
more sociable than Oz and definitely has a better
sense of humor. He holds the highest technical
position within the maintenance department as an
electronics specialist. He's responsible for software
and computer systems.
Oz
Oz's character portrays a no-nonsense, all business
type of person. He's a retired Marine that doesn't
believe in horseplay. He plays it straight with
little time for levity. He is a true professional
with the skills and experience to back him up as a
building mechanic responsible for heating, air
condition, electrical, and plumbing systems. Oz
represents those people who can always be relied upon
to show up on time and do the job right the first
time...and often go unnoticed and unrewarded for their
vital contributions.
Max
Max
is the maintenance manager. Behind the scenes most of
the time, his interaction with the workers is
primarily through Lowbrow. Max is high enough up the
ladder that he has entered the political
realm. You'll notice he is always smiling. His
facial expression never changes no matter what the
situation. It's hard to get a handle on his real
feelings when he's constantly wearing a smiley face.
The conflict between his vocal communication and
facial language creates uncertainty as to his intended
message. Politicians are noted for their ability to
say something that can be construed three different
ways.
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