Jean Valjean is Victor Hugo's Mary Sue

[fiskblack]

Obviously, I don't believe the title of this post is a legitimate criticism, but I thought it would be a good example of the overuse of this criticism. In the novel, Les Miserables, Jean Valjean is a reformed thief who devotes his life to charity and piety, and is the central character used by Victor Hugo to make his case for social reforms

Comments

[ext_2204388]

I have been following your work for years and have always been a big fan. I was horrified the day I did a search on your author handle to find many of the top sites bashing your name for some kind of falling out with another author. Mind you, I have not read the other authors work, and frankly when seeing how he reacted I don't plan to. Point blank I read your work first, so I am a little biased when I see someone bashing an author and artist I'm already a big fan of.

All that being said, I would never, ever define any of your characters as being "Mary Sues." For one thing, Mary Sue has always been in my knowledge a female only term, and there is a term specifically for male characters. So by definition Fisk can't be a Mary Sue. For another, his personality is one appropriate for someone with his background. Anyone who wants to argue his character needs to read the Better Days archive and see how he developed. While I do not agree with his views 100% of the time, I feel it fits his character because of the arch type he is. He is in the military, of coarse he is going to act and think a certain way and have certain capabilities.

To fit the description Fisk would have to have no flaws, and he clearly does. All of your characters have their own strengths and weaknesses. Anyone who suggests otherwise is clearly speaking from some other per-determined judgement that is clouding their opinion of your work. Seeing as I have only been exposed to your work and none of your own personal drama I feel I can say without outside influence that your characters and story are solid, and I hope you continue to produce your works without letting other people effect you. You can bet every Monday and Friday morning at 1am I am checking your Tumbler and webcomic eagerly for updates. If your characters where so stereotypical and self serving as to deserve being called a Mary Sue that statement wouldn't be true, because as a long time text based role player there is NOTHING I hate more than a Mary Sue.