This thread may not get a lot of hits, but this is something that has been bugging me for awhile.
I am an avid wrestling fan, I am an avid White Wolf fan. for those of you who may not know, White Wolf is a roleplaying game (ala Dungeons and Dragons) dealign with vampires, werewolves and mages.
Okay, when the WWF brought Gangrel in in 1998, I was stoked because Gangrel is one of the 12 vampire clans in White Wolf. And obviously Gangrel the wrestler was suppose to be a vampire wannabe.
The WWF must have made a deal with White Wolf because after that White Wolf had one page ads in all the WWF publications and of course whenever Gangrel was featured in a video game (attitude) it had a disclaimer on the title page that Gangrel was a copyrighted character of White Wolf.
Now, my question is this -- why would the WWF go through all this trouble for a midcarder? Could they not have thought up a thousand different vampire-like names that were original and they could copyright themselves?
This is slightly off topic, but I thought Gangrel was a pretty cool character. Great enterance and was disappointed the WWE didn't do more with him and The Brood.
Too true. Like i said in another thread... WWE needs a little more EVIL!!!
(Kiaentai or otherwise)
also to answer the question i believe the name gave the character some instant credibility in a vampire sense rather then giving him a wierd name just for the sake of it, whereas this already had some story behind the name. Saves them the trouble really.
PFFFFTT! Facts. You can use facts to prove anything thats even remotely true. Facts, Schmacts - Homer
Actually, I believe they just decided to use the name and then realized that WW had it TM'ed (smack forhead there, fellas). That's when they went the used-with-permission route, rather than re-name an existing character.
Of course, I could be remembering wrong here.
As to being a gaming nerd - don't worry. Someone you know and trust is already one of us.
Fashion Reporter Extraordinare
Wisdom is learning from one's mistakes. Greater wisdom is learning from the mistakes of others.
No kidding....Gangrel was probably my single favorite wrestler of the late 90s, but they squandered him all to hell....after the Brood ended he seriously NEVER won.....
Anybody can kick people's asses. But it takes a true monster to kick people's asses AND breastfeed at the same time - Excalibur05
Originally posted by ScreamingHeadGuyActually, I believe they just decided to use the name and then realized that WW had it TM'ed (smack forhead there, fellas). That's when they went the used-with-permission route, rather than re-name an existing character.
Of course, I could be remembering wrong here.
As to being a gaming nerd - don't worry. Someone you know and trust is already one of us.
This is exactly what happened. I have a friend here who grew up with a lot of guys working at WWE and he actually told me this story a few weeks ago. He was actually asked to come up with a list of names for a vampire themed wrestler. He gave them a list with names. A few weeks later they told him they'd gone with something much edgier than Vlad the Impaler or other names like the ones he had suggested. It was an epiphany: Gangrel. Well, they got all the merchandise together and debuted him without bothering to see if that name was trademarked. White Wolf had trademarked it, called the WWF on it, and then came to the agreement that gave White Wolf all that advertising and a cut of the MILLIONS of Gangrel action figures and t-shirts that were sold. Dumb asses.
On a somewhat related note... anyone know where to find that spoof about Edge, Christian and the Hardys playing D&D in the back only to be interrupted by the APA? It was on wrestleline a few years ago, I think.
Originally posted by ScreamingHeadGuyanyone know where to find that spoof about Edge, Christian and the Hardys playing D&D in the back only to be interrupted by the APA? It was on wrestleline a few years ago, I think.
(edited by Mild Mannered Madman on 10.4.03 2336) As the days go by, we face the increasing inevitability that we are alone in a godless, uninhabited, hostile and meaningless universe. Still, you've got to laugh, haven't you?
Originally posted by The Shamthe MILLIONS of Gangrel action figures and t-shirts that were sold.
Just to clear up, that's some Goddamned heavy sarcasm, right? Please say it is, or all my faith in mankind will be lost.
Tribal Prophet
Wrestling exists in the eternal present. What is, has always been, and when it no longer is, it never was. It has no past and no future, and sometimes even today is in question. - Madame Manga
Just on a side note kind of off topic -- Gangrel had the coolest entrance ever.
Is that concrete about them coming up with the name? I find it weird that of all the vampire names they could have came up with they came up with "Gangrel" -- a name that just so happened to already be trademarked by a company as a name for vampires.
Also (as a seasoned White Wolf player) the actual trademarked Gangrel symbol was used in Gangrel's entrance. A group of vampires who travelled together in the White Wolf world was called a "Brood". One of the Gangrel clan's unique powers was its ability to sink into the ground to protect itself from sunlight -- and its ability to rise from the next day (ala Gangrel's entrance)
So did all this HEAVY borrowing of characterization come after the deal with White Wolf?
I like Gangrel he brought new moves with him had a great entrance and music. WWE just doesn't know how to use guys like him. Why couldn't there been a fued between him and Mankind or UT. What the hell do I know.
Don West, who teamed with Mike Tenay as the primary announce team in TNA/Impact for many years, has succumbed to cancer at age 59. If you're like me, you'll also remember him from his days hawking sports cards on late night TV. https://www.