Post by Andrew is Good on Dec 31, 2007 12:21:00 GMT -5
Ok, ok. I was looking through the nominations for the Gooker, and well, the LAW's worst list, and one name popped up that I was surprised about. A name that has been one of my favourite gimmicks this year. That name being Black Reign.
Now, ever since Black Reign came on the scene, I've heard the same thing. It's a Goldust rip off. And ok, yes. It's half true. The only thing about Black Reign that's a rip off of Goldust is the look and the name itself (using a colour and the rain would be like the falling dust I guess). But, everything else about the character is completely different.
Now, the basis of course is Dustin has a split personality. Ok, now can we go into the logistics of this. Dustin Rhodes, when I've seen him on television, has always been a little different. Dustin has always been an over the top persona when he was Goldust in WWE, and his movements, his faces, just everything about him screams "a tad different". Plus with the persona of Goldust he took, he's going to be a bit weird.
It was actually Christopher Daniels who described Goldust the best, because that's where he got the inspiration for the Fallen Angel character. Goldust was playing on people's emotions with sexuality (where as Daniels used religion). So he would dress and act a certain way, but at the Royal Rumble of 96, he was making out with Marlena. So, he used sexuality to raise people's ire.
So with Black Reign, he goes into a sick and twisted psichosis and completely switches to Black Reign, which would be his alternative persona that has always been inside him. Can this happen? Of course. And not only that, his character is the first to have a multiple personality disorder. With Mick Foley, he himself knew what he was doing when he was all three people, but each person would be a different personality. With Black Reign, he completely changes.
I guess I'm also a fan of the dark gimmicks. I like the evil type, psycho gimmicks, I'm a big fan of those. I've also liked how they would have just Dustin Rhodes come out and not know what's going on, like they did when Abyss attacked him, and again with Kaz. I think it adds an interesting bit of depth to the character because, does he really know what he's doing, is he just messed up, is this a big plot, or whatever. Lots of questions, and for me, a lot of interest.
Also, while I'm here, Rellik has been getting crap too. I want to say here that Rellik isn't a TNA creation, it's actually an original character thought up by Johnny Stamboli. I first learned of it actually on the wrestlecrap fourms, when one of the mods had a picture of him and his kid at a local indy show, and there was a picture of a guy name RedRum stalking them (which for those who haven't figured out, yes, it's murder spelled backwards). So putting him with Black Reign of course would be the perfect fit.
I think one problem people have with guys like Dustin coming in is they are older guys taking spots of younger established talent, which in the case of Dustin Rhodes is nonsense. Haha, the reason for that is because Black Reign has laid down for Abyss a whole hell of a lot, and is likely going to help get Kaz over, and pretty much any other star that comes his way, he is going to help get over. So, why not use a guy who has the experience, who has the know how, and who has the ability to work with the younger guys to help them get better for the future of TNA.
It's what Team 3D is doing with the Motor City Machine Guns. Because they are getting wins over such an established team (arguably the best ever), so that's only going to put the Machine Guns up higher in the eyes of the fans. It's the same with Black Reign. Raven said that the easiest way to get a talent over is by having him/her beat a star in a feud. That's what Raven did with CM Punk. He took a guy that Gabe wanted to build up that they weren't doing all that much with, and put him over huge. And with Black Reign, he's doing that with everybody he works with, all at the same time keeping his heat by having people ask questions and wonder about the character.
Now, ever since Black Reign came on the scene, I've heard the same thing. It's a Goldust rip off. And ok, yes. It's half true. The only thing about Black Reign that's a rip off of Goldust is the look and the name itself (using a colour and the rain would be like the falling dust I guess). But, everything else about the character is completely different.
Now, the basis of course is Dustin has a split personality. Ok, now can we go into the logistics of this. Dustin Rhodes, when I've seen him on television, has always been a little different. Dustin has always been an over the top persona when he was Goldust in WWE, and his movements, his faces, just everything about him screams "a tad different". Plus with the persona of Goldust he took, he's going to be a bit weird.
It was actually Christopher Daniels who described Goldust the best, because that's where he got the inspiration for the Fallen Angel character. Goldust was playing on people's emotions with sexuality (where as Daniels used religion). So he would dress and act a certain way, but at the Royal Rumble of 96, he was making out with Marlena. So, he used sexuality to raise people's ire.
So with Black Reign, he goes into a sick and twisted psichosis and completely switches to Black Reign, which would be his alternative persona that has always been inside him. Can this happen? Of course. And not only that, his character is the first to have a multiple personality disorder. With Mick Foley, he himself knew what he was doing when he was all three people, but each person would be a different personality. With Black Reign, he completely changes.
I guess I'm also a fan of the dark gimmicks. I like the evil type, psycho gimmicks, I'm a big fan of those. I've also liked how they would have just Dustin Rhodes come out and not know what's going on, like they did when Abyss attacked him, and again with Kaz. I think it adds an interesting bit of depth to the character because, does he really know what he's doing, is he just messed up, is this a big plot, or whatever. Lots of questions, and for me, a lot of interest.
Also, while I'm here, Rellik has been getting crap too. I want to say here that Rellik isn't a TNA creation, it's actually an original character thought up by Johnny Stamboli. I first learned of it actually on the wrestlecrap fourms, when one of the mods had a picture of him and his kid at a local indy show, and there was a picture of a guy name RedRum stalking them (which for those who haven't figured out, yes, it's murder spelled backwards). So putting him with Black Reign of course would be the perfect fit.
I think one problem people have with guys like Dustin coming in is they are older guys taking spots of younger established talent, which in the case of Dustin Rhodes is nonsense. Haha, the reason for that is because Black Reign has laid down for Abyss a whole hell of a lot, and is likely going to help get Kaz over, and pretty much any other star that comes his way, he is going to help get over. So, why not use a guy who has the experience, who has the know how, and who has the ability to work with the younger guys to help them get better for the future of TNA.
It's what Team 3D is doing with the Motor City Machine Guns. Because they are getting wins over such an established team (arguably the best ever), so that's only going to put the Machine Guns up higher in the eyes of the fans. It's the same with Black Reign. Raven said that the easiest way to get a talent over is by having him/her beat a star in a feud. That's what Raven did with CM Punk. He took a guy that Gabe wanted to build up that they weren't doing all that much with, and put him over huge. And with Black Reign, he's doing that with everybody he works with, all at the same time keeping his heat by having people ask questions and wonder about the character.