Character Profile: WYATT

By Scott Murray

As I worked on the central storyline for The Crimson Files, I didn't want to throw together a stereotypical superhero origin story and plot.  I felt that would come off unoriginal and kind of gutsy.  So, I started to think about a central character that could be connected to the hero and tell their story.

I thought about how reporters have been a prominent part of comic book/superhero history.  Obviously, in the earlier days, that meant newspaper.  I actually thought about going "old school" and creating a reporter that sought out the truth about the hero while most of the newsroom spun their stories into negatives about her.  However, I didn't know if it would really come off "classic style" or if it would just sound like I wasn't aware that there are other forms of media in 2018.

So, if it wasn't newspaper, the next obvious choice was internet.  However, I still didn't feel like a reporter for an internet news site was interesting enough.  So, I turned to the YouTuber and internet celebrity side of things.  I felt that really showcased today's media - how anyone can generate engaging or viral content and become famous.

Imagine Clark Kent as an internet personality. (Copyright 1978 - Warner Bros.)

Just like other media personalities, there's probably people online that you love, and those who make you hit MUTE immediately.  Plus, there are those who want to be famous for reasons that aren't the most appealing.

In The Crimson Files, Wyatt has good intentions.  He genuinely wants to provide great content to a vast internet audience.  After all, he has a journalism degree, but he was never interested in being the next big-name TV news reporter or anchor.  However, not going the typical journalism route has its challenges.  Until he can really succeed...he's stuck at a boring job, and all failed content attempts risk internet scrutiny.

In the first audio trailer for the show, you hear Wyatt and his friend Reggie attempting to create a scary ghost hunting video.  We find out that the internet had a field day making fun of it.  Then, we learn that it's an accidental video recording that ends up changing his luck for the better.