What’s the “dumbest” inspiration you’ve had for a character?

Mario dominated the market in the 80’s, Sonic exploded in the 90’s, and Shellman was to be gaming’s next great icon going into the new millennium. Touted as a bold, confident freedom fighter pushing back against the fascist plague of his home world, Shellman was the energetic face of Rock Hard Games’ first foray into the industry, a unique blend of traditional platformer and arcade-style beat ‘em up released in early 1998 for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64 (and later for PC by the year 2000, before the studio went under). Jabbing at Nintendo’s plumber with his iconic turtle-shell carapace and boasting an attitude/spunk to rival Sega’s own blue blur, Shellman was almost guaranteed a space in the video game hall of fame at launch. Unfortunately, the marketing campaign promoting the game’s release ended up backfiring so hideously, it lead to the total collapse of Rock Hard Games, LLC only a few short years later. Although the game has developed something of a cult following in recent years, it is nowhere near sizable enough to rescue the doomed Shellman from wallowing in the depths of obscurity, abandoned by the sands of time.

I think the inspiration for Shellman came from an old duck and cover PSA from my college history course last year, and that this guy made out of turtle shells was some sort of failed video game mascot alongside the likes of Bubsy the Cat or Ty the Tasmanian Tiger. Something intentionally created to be the butt of a joke but I think his design is pretty neat.

Nothing too serious, I’d just like to know what the funniest/strangest inspiration was for some of your OCs if you have any.