Mortimer == Mandark?

VikingBoyBilly · Post by **VikingBoyBilly** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 14:07

Do you guys think these two villains are... suspiciously similar? Mandark and Dexter are certainly more nerdy than Keen and Mortimer. Billy just has a way of being both smart and cool, whereas Dexter can't get out of the stereotype of genious nerdiness, so I'd say they are too different to be related/based off each other somehow. But Mandark and Mortimer, well, the line separating them is less visible. They're both evil geniouses out for world domination/destruction, and they look somewhat similar. Not to mention both their names start with an "M." Maybe I'm just trying too hard to force together a contrived connection, but these set of characters were born around the same era.

EDIT: Woah, I'm a Vortininja. I'm sure I wasn't that cool before!

Post by **KeenRush** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 15:07

I don't know anything about Dexter or such, but I do not think all the evil (kid) geniuses have to be from the same source, so I think you're probably trying too hard -- besides, the Dexter show first appeared in 1996, Keen (and Mortimer) in 1990.

VikingBoyBilly · Post by **VikingBoyBilly** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 15:25

KeenRush wrote:the Dexter show first appeared in 1996, Keen (and Mortimer) in 1990.

Dexter's lab definately aired YEARS before 1996. Not before 1990, but I remember it was around in the early 90's because I watched that show before I moved to New Jersey in 1995.

Post by **KeenRush** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 15:50

Well, I used wikipedia as a source so my info can be wrong, but there it reads that the first season was shown in 1996, and something other in some cartoon show in 1995 if I understood correctly.

Djaser · Post by **Djaser** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 17:09

KeenRush wrote: -- besides, the Dexter show first appeared in 1996, Keen (and Mortimer) in 1990.

Would it be easier to say that Dexter was influenced by Commander Keen if it was broadcast in let's say 1982?
Really, what's your point here?

Post by **KeenRush** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 17:12

My point here was that Keen wasn't influenced by Dexter. However, I can't understand your point.

Djaser · Post by **Djaser** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 18:12

KeenRush wrote:My point here was that Keen wasn't influenced by Dexter. However, I can't understand your point.

You seem to argue that it's unlikely that Dexter was influenced by Commander Keen because the series was broadcast six years later. I fail to see the logic.

entropicdecay · Post by **entropicdecay** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 18:13

I don't think there's much connection. I think the similarity is mostly that both characters are sort of counterparts to the main character, someone just as smart but more evil.

Post by **KeenRush** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 18:39

Djaser wrote:You seem to argue that it's unlikely that Dexter was influenced by Commander Keen because the series was broadcast six years later. I fail to see the logic.

No, I haven't argued about that, I've said that I don't think Keen was influenced by Dexter, not the other way around. I don't know or care if Dexter has been inspired by Keen.

Galaxieretter · Post by **Galaxieretter** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 19:56

I never really thought Dexter's Lab was inspired much by Commander Keen.

Jimmy Neutron though, is a different story.

MortimerInBlack · Post by **MortimerInBlack** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 22:47

I think many shows have evil geniuses that are similar to the main hero. So I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few looking like Mort. and 'M' is just a good letter to begin a dark, evil-sounding name.

And to conclude, Dexter and Jimmy by no means can compare to Keen.

StupidBunny · Post by **StupidBunny** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 22:34

There was this TmsT webcomic about a fake gameshow called "Eat Your Veggies" in which Keen, Dexter, and Anakin Skywalker all competed. They were all compared according to various criteria, and whoever was most different had vegetables dumped on them.

If I recall correctly, one of the contests involved comparing their arch-nemeses. Anakin's was Darth Maul apparently, but of course Keen and Dexter had Mortimer and Mandark, respectively. At some point Mandark bragged about how he was smarter than Dexter, and Mortimer got pissed because Mandark's motives for mocking Dexter were too similar to his own.

This isn't terribly important, but the comic itself was pretty funny. If I find it I'll post it.

Post by **KeenRush** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 22:49

Heh, I remember that comic faintly, it'd be great to see it and the other old Keen-related TMST comics... But too bad most of them have vanished for good, I think.

ckguy · Post by **ckguy** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 23:29

Along with tons of other tmst stuff - I was looking for Bedtime Stories with Alan Rickman (his first flash video) but the link is to his old site, which is dead and gone.

MortimerInBlack · Post by **MortimerInBlack** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:05

I somehow came across a site of TMST some time ago, and saw that comic. Yeah it was funny.

Who's got the links to his sites btw? We need links to fansites on this forum; i think the EZboard 1 had a link to dosclassics if im not mistaken.

While I'm at it, whatever happened to the Keen icons we had to the left of every topic? The boring white and weird-orange colored paper aren't Keen inuff.