Just what is an “original character”? Today I can’t answer that without going on a meandering philosophical tirade, but in 2012, I snapped up one singular lizard and called it a day. Although I have a handful of older designs, Zero is, for all intents and purposes, my first OC™.
Zero was initially part of a species called “Isos,” the creation of an artist then known as Xeno-Ximen. The TL;DR of the schtick, for those out of the adoptable loop, is that an artist makes up a design, often several designs on the same template, and members of their audience can walk away (so to speak) with one of those designs and a sense of ownership. I adopted Zero for the low, low price of “drew a reference and told the artist about it.” Not a bad deal!
I proceeded to do very little with him.
Zero is not a character for storytelling. He looks cool, and has been drawn a handful of times over the years, and… that’s that, really! In 2018, long after the Isos species info was deleted/hidden from the public eye, I messaged the creator requesting permission to recycle Zero as an OC, and got the OK. In practice this has changed effectively nothing, seeing as I never did much with the original species lore. It mostly means I don’t link someone else’s profile every time I post a drawing of Zero.
And I do still draw Zero! Hardly on the regular, but enough to fill out a nice little gallery. His design has never been consistent from the getgo, and I have fun with it that way. Zero is fun, in general, to me. That’s all a character like him needs to be.
factoids
- Insofar as Zero has consistent characterization, I basically picture him as a big playful puppy. Curious, excitable, here for a good time.
- There’s long been a pet idea in my head that begins and ends at the premise: chimera-experiment lab, creatures escape, vaguely apocalyptic setting. Is Zero part of that? Maybe! Maybe not. The concept lingers regardless.
- Key visual traits include (but aren’t limited to):
- a long profile; from snout to tail, he’s got a sleek build
- back-facing ears which taper at the ends
- a crest of feathers down the neck and at the tailtip
- solid dark blue-ish base with a brighter streak down either side
- lighter underbelly that rounds the upper jaw at the cheek
- Much as I call Zero a “lizard,” it’s anyone’s guess as to what animal(s) he’s actually based on. I could not tell you whether the body texture is feathery or leathery or fuzzy or what.
- “He/him” pronouns are also a byproduct of habit. Zero is Zero!