History of the Caseyverse: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:58, 5 September 2024

The Caseyverse, a rich and detailed fictional universe centered around the island nation of Nethington, was born from the creative mind of Tony Bark. Initially conceived as a coping mechanism for Bark’s evolving relationships with friends on DeviantArt, the Caseyverse evolved from an unfinished short story titled “Sunset.”

This early narrative introduced Aidan Cheddar, a mouse character, and reintroduced Zack, a fox character originally based on Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog. Zack was Bark's blue fox fursona during his time on DeviantArt and served as the foundation for the DJ lore that would later define him. The initial intent was to use these characters in a web comic initially planned for publication on DeviantArt and shared with his brother. However, life circumstances changed when Bark relocated, leading to a loss of contact with real-life friends.

As years passed, Bark's DeviantArt friendships gradually faded as well. The unfinished “Sunset” story served as the foundation for Caseyverse, a world created by Bark as he processed these losses and found solace in his fictional creations. Unable to meaningfully use the characters of his former friends, Caseyverse became a space where Bark could freely explore his own narrative without the constraints of external collaborations.

The name "Caseyverse" itself is derived from Zack's surname, "Casey," which was formed as a reverse acronym of Zc456, Bark's original DeviantArt username. His friends affectionately called him "Z" or "ZC," influencing the character's name and solidifying the connection between Bark's personal identity and his fictional world.

Bark cherished the creative ways his DeviantArt friends utilized his fursona, Zack. Despite the initial thrill of online fame gained from a fan club dedicated to his work, Bark found greater fulfillment in the love and appreciation his characters received from his community.

As copyright laws in the US evolved in complex and often detrimental ways, Bark made the decision to place his characters and fictional world into the public domain. This move was driven by a desire to prevent others from experiencing the pain of losing creative control over their work as he had. Bark's original DeviantArt-era artwork can be found on his SheezyArt persona, "zc456," reflecting his original username and utilizing DeviantArt's iconic “v4” color scheme. Due to SheezyArt's customizable profile layouts, all of Bark’s artwork is openly accessible, reinforcing the public domain status of Caseyverse.

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-'''Caseyverse''' is a fictional universe centered around the island nation of [[Nethington]], created by Tony Bark. Its origins trace back to Bark's experiences on [[Wiki:DeviantArt|DeviantArt]], where he initially developed his character [[Zack Casey|Zack]], a blue fox fursona based on Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog.
+The '''Caseyverse''', a rich and detailed fictional universe centered around the island nation of [[Nethington]], was born from the creative mind of Tony Bark. Initially conceived as a coping mechanism for Bark’s evolving relationships with friends on [[Wiki:DeviantArt|DeviantArt]], the Caseyverse evolved from an unfinished short story titled “[[Sunset]].”
-The genesis of Caseyverse lies in an unfinished short story titled "[[Sunset]]," intended to introduce Aidan Cheddar, a mouse character, and reintroduce Zack through Aidan's perspective. This story was conceived during Bark's time on DeviantArt, where he cultivated a community of friends who engaged with his artwork and characters. However, as years passed, Bark experienced the loss of contact with some of these friends, leading to a sense of isolation.
+This early narrative introduced Aidan Cheddar, a mouse character, and reintroduced Zack, a fox character originally based on Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog. Zack was Bark's blue fox fursona during his time on DeviantArt and served as the foundation for the DJ lore that would later define him. The initial intent was to use these characters in a web comic initially planned for publication on DeviantArt and shared with his brother. However, life circumstances changed when Bark relocated, leading to a loss of contact with real-life friends.
-"Sunset" never saw publication, but the world it birthed served as the foundational bedrock for Caseyverse. As Bark navigated the emotional complexities of losing touch with his online community, he continued to develop the fictional world, gradually shaping it into what is now known as Caseyverse. The name itself stems from Zack's last name, "Casey," which is a reverse acronym of Zc456, Bark's original DeviantArt username. His friends affectionately referred to him as "Z" or "ZC," inspiring the character's surname.
+As years passed, Bark's DeviantArt friendships gradually faded as well. The unfinished “Sunset” story served as the foundation for Caseyverse, a world created by Bark as he processed these losses and found solace in his fictional creations. Unable to meaningfully use the characters of his former friends, Caseyverse became a space where Bark could freely explore his own narrative without the constraints of external collaborations.
-Bark deeply valued the creative interpretations and contributions his DeviantArt friends made to his characters and fursona. While initial recognition brought joy, it was ultimately the feeling of love and connection within this online community that resonated most profoundly with Bark.
+The name "Caseyverse" itself is derived from Zack's surname, "Casey," which was formed as a reverse acronym of Zc456, Bark's original DeviantArt username. His friends affectionately called him "Z" or "ZC," influencing the character's name and solidifying the connection between Bark's personal identity and his fictional world.
-The evolving landscape of copyright in the United States influenced Bark's decision to place Caseyverse into the public domain. Witnessing the potential for harm within copyright law, he sought to ensure that others wouldn't face similar challenges to his own.
+Bark cherished the creative ways his DeviantArt friends utilized his fursona, Zack. Despite the initial thrill of online fame gained from a fan club dedicated to his work, Bark found greater fulfillment in the love and appreciation his characters received from his community.
-Bark's original artwork from the DeviantArt era can be found on a dedicated SheezyArt persona under the username "zc456," reflecting his initial online identity. All artwork is presented in the public domain, further solidifying Caseyverse's open-access status.
+As copyright laws in the US evolved in complex and often detrimental ways, Bark made the decision to place his characters and fictional world into the public domain. This move was driven by a desire to prevent others from experiencing the pain of losing creative control over their work as he had.  Bark's original DeviantArt-era artwork can be found on his SheezyArt persona, "zc456," reflecting his original username and utilizing DeviantArt's iconic “v4” color scheme. Due to SheezyArt's customizable profile layouts, all of Bark’s artwork is openly accessible, reinforcing the public domain status of Caseyverse.