National Novel Writing Month is about to start. November first will hit the East Coast in about 43 minutes depending on how long I work on this particular post. It's a crazy idea. Spend one month cranking out a novel. (For NaNoWriMo purposes, a novel will be at least 50,000 words.) This means you're going to have to average 1,667 words a day. It also means that you have to have a pretty good plan in place.
NaNoWriMo is in it's 12th year and growing bigger every year. I'm not even sure how many people are trying it this time around. I'm one of them, and I'm not sure if I'll do any better this year than I did last year. My niece being born messed things up a little bit, last time, and I'm not expecting any nieces or nephews this time around, so maybe I'll do a little better.
If you're interested, you can still get involved. Go to nanowrimo.org to sign up and try your hand at it. The site provides lots of useful tools including a great stats page that shows you your daily average output and what you need to write to finish up on time.
If you're interested in seeing how I'm doing, you can check out my user page. I also started a Tumblr to help struggling writers that you can check out here.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Top Twelve X-men-Number 5
Shadowcat
Once there was a young lady named Katherine Anne Pryde, and when she turned thirteen, she started getting headaches and had some strange experiences like laying down on her bed and finding herself on the living room floor. She was recruited to go the Xavier's school and quickly became one of the X-men.
I was trying to decide where to interrupt myself for a moment, and that time is now. If this list were my personal favorites, and not combined with significance to the lives of the X-men, Shadowcat would be at the very top of the list. I have always been a huge fan of her character. When I first started reading the X-men, Kitty was an older woman, but sadly those days are gone. I've always appreciated her resolve, determination, and intelligence. Now back to the rest of my post.
Kitty may have started off as a goofy teenage girl (with some serious fashion sense problems), and that is because that's who she was, but she grew up pretty quickly and became an important part of the team. Her powers may not seem very impressive at first, but there is more to Shadowcat than passing through solid objects. With concentration, she can 'walk' on air and her power disrupts electrical circuits. Her powers also allow her to get places many others cannot with little or no trouble.
Kitty is a big part of some important story lines. She is the main focus of Days of Future Past. Her future self, Kate, travels back in time to try to stop the sentinels from taking over. Kitty is one of the founding members of Excalibur. Kitty has the attitude to make up for her lack of super flashy, planet destroying powers. Oh, before I forget, Kitty also phased a giant space bullet through the planet that would have killed us all. I think that in itself deserves a little respect.
Once there was a young lady named Katherine Anne Pryde, and when she turned thirteen, she started getting headaches and had some strange experiences like laying down on her bed and finding herself on the living room floor. She was recruited to go the Xavier's school and quickly became one of the X-men.
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| Kitty in her first appearance |
Kitty may have started off as a goofy teenage girl (with some serious fashion sense problems), and that is because that's who she was, but she grew up pretty quickly and became an important part of the team. Her powers may not seem very impressive at first, but there is more to Shadowcat than passing through solid objects. With concentration, she can 'walk' on air and her power disrupts electrical circuits. Her powers also allow her to get places many others cannot with little or no trouble.
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 1
Number 1-Ghost
Here it is, the worst of the worst. Yes, with effort, you can pull together a decent ghost costume, but you're never going to be scary with this costume. (Don't worry, Tricia, you're going to be a great ghost.) Where does the lameness of ghosts come from? Check out this picture for the Halloween special "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." There's a couple of reasons that Charlie Brown was dressed like a ghost. First, it shows how much effort goes into the costume-get a sheet and cut a couple of eye holes. Second, you get to see what can go wrong with the costume.
Here it is, the worst of the worst. Yes, with effort, you can pull together a decent ghost costume, but you're never going to be scary with this costume. (Don't worry, Tricia, you're going to be a great ghost.) Where does the lameness of ghosts come from? Check out this picture for the Halloween special "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." There's a couple of reasons that Charlie Brown was dressed like a ghost. First, it shows how much effort goes into the costume-get a sheet and cut a couple of eye holes. Second, you get to see what can go wrong with the costume.
Before I wrap this up, I need to make a clarification. My friend Austin wanted to see the Scream costume. I will agree that that costume is lame, but I wasn't aware that the Scream movies were supposed to be scary, at least I didn't find them that way. It works out though because when I looked up ghost costumes, I found the Scream ghost costume, so I guess it works out anyway.
So, here it is. The lamest of the lame costumes. No one, and I mean no one, can make this costume scary.
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| OK, someone might be able to make this scary, but I had to use this image for the epicness of Barney Stinson, so maybe you want to accept the challenge too. |
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 2
Number 2-Vampires
Here we are down to the last two costumes. This is where it gets really bad. This is one of the top costumes for the lazy and/or indecisive. Before I tear into this one, I need to make a confession. I was usually a vampire for Halloween. A lot of the time, I just didn't pick a costume until it was too late to do anything else. Don't make the same mistake that I did. Yes, a vampire costume can turn out quite well if you play it up, but you won't get anywhere if you just grab a pair of plastic fangs and give yourself whatever kind of cape you can scrounge up.
This is one of the quickest costumes to put together if you're desperate, just make sure you at least give yourself a little fake blood to add effect. Take it from a fellow slacker, you're better off going for something creative even if no one gets your concept. Take this example as a guide. Here we have UberNerd Sheldon as the Doppler Effect. Sure most of the people he's hanging out with have no idea who or what he is, but at least he's got something better than a last-minute vampire costume to explain.
Here we are down to the last two costumes. This is where it gets really bad. This is one of the top costumes for the lazy and/or indecisive. Before I tear into this one, I need to make a confession. I was usually a vampire for Halloween. A lot of the time, I just didn't pick a costume until it was too late to do anything else. Don't make the same mistake that I did. Yes, a vampire costume can turn out quite well if you play it up, but you won't get anywhere if you just grab a pair of plastic fangs and give yourself whatever kind of cape you can scrounge up.
This is one of the quickest costumes to put together if you're desperate, just make sure you at least give yourself a little fake blood to add effect. Take it from a fellow slacker, you're better off going for something creative even if no one gets your concept. Take this example as a guide. Here we have UberNerd Sheldon as the Doppler Effect. Sure most of the people he's hanging out with have no idea who or what he is, but at least he's got something better than a last-minute vampire costume to explain.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 3
Number 3-Witches
This one is a little tricky. At first I was feeling a little sexist by mostly focusing on male dominated costume, but honestly, with the exception of some of the gender-neutral costumes, there aren't a lot of options for girls to dress up scary. (Also, most costumes for girls are going the sexy route anyway. That's right, you too can be a sexy skunk this Halloween.)
Now I'm not here to hate on witches, just the scary movie stereotypes of them. You're typical Halloween witch that is going for the scare will have the pointy hat, the broom stick, and hopefully a long nose with a wart on the end. However, Nobody will be scared by this combination. After all, it's what you see in every movie and children's book you've ever come upon.
If you want to do the witch costume, try to go for something a little bit different. Maybe pick a specific character. (Like one of the witches from Hocus Pocus or The Craft.) That will help a lot and make you less of a cliche for the holiday.
This one is a little tricky. At first I was feeling a little sexist by mostly focusing on male dominated costume, but honestly, with the exception of some of the gender-neutral costumes, there aren't a lot of options for girls to dress up scary. (Also, most costumes for girls are going the sexy route anyway. That's right, you too can be a sexy skunk this Halloween.)
Now I'm not here to hate on witches, just the scary movie stereotypes of them. You're typical Halloween witch that is going for the scare will have the pointy hat, the broom stick, and hopefully a long nose with a wart on the end. However, Nobody will be scared by this combination. After all, it's what you see in every movie and children's book you've ever come upon.
If you want to do the witch costume, try to go for something a little bit different. Maybe pick a specific character. (Like one of the witches from Hocus Pocus or The Craft.) That will help a lot and make you less of a cliche for the holiday.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 4
Number 4-Zombie
OK, this is where the lameness really kicks in. I know that zombies are popular. I know that they are all over the place. This is part of the reason that they are so lame as a costume. I'm sure there are some creative ideas on how to pull off a zombie costume, but they are few and far between. If you plan to just paint your face white and give yourself a few scars, you're just part of the cliche-zombie pack.
Actually, that's a good idea for you. Get a bunch of your zombie pals together and wander around together with your arms out. Put together some moans and groans to add to the effect. After all, a lone zombie isn't scary at all. The main thing that makes zombies scary is the mob effect.
OK, this is where the lameness really kicks in. I know that zombies are popular. I know that they are all over the place. This is part of the reason that they are so lame as a costume. I'm sure there are some creative ideas on how to pull off a zombie costume, but they are few and far between. If you plan to just paint your face white and give yourself a few scars, you're just part of the cliche-zombie pack.
Actually, that's a good idea for you. Get a bunch of your zombie pals together and wander around together with your arms out. Put together some moans and groans to add to the effect. After all, a lone zombie isn't scary at all. The main thing that makes zombies scary is the mob effect.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 5
Number 7-Jason
OK, I'm not here to down play the scare factor of Jason or Friday the 13th, but I am here to tell you that your choice to dress like Jason isn't going to get you very far in the scare department. I know, you're wondering what Jason has that you don't have. That is really simple. Jason has music, he has lighting and camera angles. You're just a guy in a hockey mask.
Let's be honest, there are NHL goalies that are scarier than you are. At least they have a hockey stick instead of a plastic knife. This one will never work for you no matter how hard you try. Strangely enough it's still better than some of your options.
OK, I'm not here to down play the scare factor of Jason or Friday the 13th, but I am here to tell you that your choice to dress like Jason isn't going to get you very far in the scare department. I know, you're wondering what Jason has that you don't have. That is really simple. Jason has music, he has lighting and camera angles. You're just a guy in a hockey mask.
Let's be honest, there are NHL goalies that are scarier than you are. At least they have a hockey stick instead of a plastic knife. This one will never work for you no matter how hard you try. Strangely enough it's still better than some of your options.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 6
Number 6-Death
This is pretty much the last costume that requires some effort in order to work. Sure you can put some effort into the other costumes, but that you can still put those costume together with minimal effort. To be an impressive Death, you're going to need to do one of two things. You're either going to need to figure out a way to pull off some realistic bones or your going to need to find a scythe.
If you go to that extent, you'll get some respect, but if you just pull on a black cloak and hope no one notices you're going to be disappointed. Remember, if you're going to play Death for Halloween, you need to put in a little extra effort.
This is pretty much the last costume that requires some effort in order to work. Sure you can put some effort into the other costumes, but that you can still put those costume together with minimal effort. To be an impressive Death, you're going to need to do one of two things. You're either going to need to figure out a way to pull off some realistic bones or your going to need to find a scythe.
If you go to that extent, you'll get some respect, but if you just pull on a black cloak and hope no one notices you're going to be disappointed. Remember, if you're going to play Death for Halloween, you need to put in a little extra effort.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 7
Number 7- Freddie
For some reason, I had this one switched around with number 5. There really is no comparison between the two no matter what the movie franchise people would have you believe. (That may give away who #5 is, but oh well.
When it comes to big scares, Freddie is the one to watch. (At least he was before the remake happened. I'm not really sure how that turned out, and I have no intention of finding out either.)
This costume does have some scare potential, but you have to play it right. The biggest key to making this costume work is stealth. If someone actually sees you before you get the chance to make your scare, you're not going to get it, but if you can sneak up on them and get your clawed hand in place before they realize it, you can probably get the scare you want.
For some reason, I had this one switched around with number 5. There really is no comparison between the two no matter what the movie franchise people would have you believe. (That may give away who #5 is, but oh well.
When it comes to big scares, Freddie is the one to watch. (At least he was before the remake happened. I'm not really sure how that turned out, and I have no intention of finding out either.)
This costume does have some scare potential, but you have to play it right. The biggest key to making this costume work is stealth. If someone actually sees you before you get the chance to make your scare, you're not going to get it, but if you can sneak up on them and get your clawed hand in place before they realize it, you can probably get the scare you want.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 8
The Mummy
We're only 5 costumes in and we're almost out of costumes that require an effort. We'll talk more about this later, but further up the line, costumes become easier and easier. I was reminded today by a friend of mine who is actually wearing the top lame costume, that even the lamest costume can get a rebirth if the person working on the costume is willing to put in some effort.
OK, back to the mummy. Here we have a very uninspiring costume. Sure it will take some effort to mummy yourself up, but a roll of toilet paper or some ace bandages won't actually make you scary. I'm not even sure you can act it out like some of the previous entries.
If you want to use this as your costume, then give up on trying to be scary. There isn't much chance you're going to have any success.
We're only 5 costumes in and we're almost out of costumes that require an effort. We'll talk more about this later, but further up the line, costumes become easier and easier. I was reminded today by a friend of mine who is actually wearing the top lame costume, that even the lamest costume can get a rebirth if the person working on the costume is willing to put in some effort.
OK, back to the mummy. Here we have a very uninspiring costume. Sure it will take some effort to mummy yourself up, but a roll of toilet paper or some ace bandages won't actually make you scary. I'm not even sure you can act it out like some of the previous entries.
If you want to use this as your costume, then give up on trying to be scary. There isn't much chance you're going to have any success.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 9
Number 9-Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster, seriously? This one can be interesting, but you've got to step out of the box in order to make it work for you. Frankenstein's monster is not going to be scary no matter what you do. I'm sorry, but it just isn't going to happen. You've got to step it up if you want to make a splash. Yes, you're still going to need to get some impressive shoulder pads and a dress jacket big enough to fit over them. You'll also need to figure out those clunky boots too. I'm not sure how you'll give yourself the hardcore flat top either.
So I guess there's a lot of work, but again, this costume isn't scary, even if you pull out all the stops and give yourself over completely to the character. If you can't outrun this guy, there's something wrong with you. Instead, you're going to have to find a twist to make it more interesting. Last weekend I was watching the horrible movie "Spooky Buddies" with the kids at my Boys and Girls Club and they had a guy that was dressed up as Frankendude. He had a surf board and was dressed like a surfer, but with all the get up for Frankenstein's monster too.
*note* Some of you may be confused by me calling him Frankenstein's monster. You need to know that Frankenstein was the guy that made the monster and he never got a chance to give his creation a name so technically this creature should be referred to as Frankenstein's monster rather than just Frankenstein.
Frankenstein's monster, seriously? This one can be interesting, but you've got to step out of the box in order to make it work for you. Frankenstein's monster is not going to be scary no matter what you do. I'm sorry, but it just isn't going to happen. You've got to step it up if you want to make a splash. Yes, you're still going to need to get some impressive shoulder pads and a dress jacket big enough to fit over them. You'll also need to figure out those clunky boots too. I'm not sure how you'll give yourself the hardcore flat top either.
So I guess there's a lot of work, but again, this costume isn't scary, even if you pull out all the stops and give yourself over completely to the character. If you can't outrun this guy, there's something wrong with you. Instead, you're going to have to find a twist to make it more interesting. Last weekend I was watching the horrible movie "Spooky Buddies" with the kids at my Boys and Girls Club and they had a guy that was dressed up as Frankendude. He had a surf board and was dressed like a surfer, but with all the get up for Frankenstein's monster too.
*note* Some of you may be confused by me calling him Frankenstein's monster. You need to know that Frankenstein was the guy that made the monster and he never got a chance to give his creation a name so technically this creature should be referred to as Frankenstein's monster rather than just Frankenstein.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 10
Number 10-The Wolfman/Werewolf
Here's another costume that can go either way. It's either going to be a few extra days without shaving and some shredded old clothes or else the person is going to put some actual effort into what they are doing and put together something really impressive. There is no middle ground.
As far as being scary, the werewolf has it's share of successes and failures. Actually, I should say that while there have been some scary moments, most stories involving the werewolf/wolfman have been a pretty big scare failure. Probably too many writers taking the idea too lightly and not setting up situations that are scary.
Guess what, the same thing goes for the costume. Let your hair grow a little long, and your beard too. Put some hair on the back of your hands and put on some ripped clothes. That's all it takes, right? Wrong. It's going to take more than a bad hair day and some grungy old clothes to make this thing scary. It's going to take some acting chops as well. If you're going to go for this costume, you'd better make a commitment or your just going to be another lame character at the party.
Here's another costume that can go either way. It's either going to be a few extra days without shaving and some shredded old clothes or else the person is going to put some actual effort into what they are doing and put together something really impressive. There is no middle ground.
As far as being scary, the werewolf has it's share of successes and failures. Actually, I should say that while there have been some scary moments, most stories involving the werewolf/wolfman have been a pretty big scare failure. Probably too many writers taking the idea too lightly and not setting up situations that are scary.
Guess what, the same thing goes for the costume. Let your hair grow a little long, and your beard too. Put some hair on the back of your hands and put on some ripped clothes. That's all it takes, right? Wrong. It's going to take more than a bad hair day and some grungy old clothes to make this thing scary. It's going to take some acting chops as well. If you're going to go for this costume, you'd better make a commitment or your just going to be another lame character at the party.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 11
Headless Horseman
This one cqn also get a little bit of a pass because there is a possibility that someone might put a little extra work into it and make something special, but that isn't usually the case. As a general rule, the average headless horseman is just a guy with his shirt pulled over his head. I don't think I need to point out how lame that is.
Even worse are the people that don't even bother to put on more than a t-shirt. I guess you could be trying for a headless surfer dude or a headless homeless bum, but You're still going to need more in the way of props to convince me on that one. This is the standby for the guy that didn't actually know he was going to a costume party. If you're lucky, it might get you through the night. Fortunately, the shirt you've got pulled over your head will keep you from seeing the shaking heads and all the people looking at you.
This one cqn also get a little bit of a pass because there is a possibility that someone might put a little extra work into it and make something special, but that isn't usually the case. As a general rule, the average headless horseman is just a guy with his shirt pulled over his head. I don't think I need to point out how lame that is.
Even worse are the people that don't even bother to put on more than a t-shirt. I guess you could be trying for a headless surfer dude or a headless homeless bum, but You're still going to need more in the way of props to convince me on that one. This is the standby for the guy that didn't actually know he was going to a costume party. If you're lucky, it might get you through the night. Fortunately, the shirt you've got pulled over your head will keep you from seeing the shaking heads and all the people looking at you.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 12
Evil Robot
At least trying to put together an Evil Robot costume takes a little effort. It may not look scary when you get done, but at least you had to do a little work to make it happen. Yes, there are plenty of movies with 'scary' robots, but they usually fall pretty flat too. Classic movies and remakes certainly don't hit the mark. I was also extremely unimpressed with I, Robot, but that probably had more to do with my disappointment with the translation of the book into a movie.
OK, that rant is done. Let's talk about why robots aren't scary. First, I can't tell if the costume is a robot or the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. Second, even the most impressive robot costume is going to look clunky and awkward. Against a robot like that, it won't take more than a little push or a little bit of a run to get you out of harm's way.
Let me make one other attempt to try to convince you to avoid this costume. Wearing this costume may anger our future overlords and hasten their eventual rise to power.
At least trying to put together an Evil Robot costume takes a little effort. It may not look scary when you get done, but at least you had to do a little work to make it happen. Yes, there are plenty of movies with 'scary' robots, but they usually fall pretty flat too. Classic movies and remakes certainly don't hit the mark. I was also extremely unimpressed with I, Robot, but that probably had more to do with my disappointment with the translation of the book into a movie.
OK, that rant is done. Let's talk about why robots aren't scary. First, I can't tell if the costume is a robot or the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz. Second, even the most impressive robot costume is going to look clunky and awkward. Against a robot like that, it won't take more than a little push or a little bit of a run to get you out of harm's way.
Let me make one other attempt to try to convince you to avoid this costume. Wearing this costume may anger our future overlords and hasten their eventual rise to power.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Part I
I won't take a lot of time here, mostly I just want to explain what I'm up to here. So, it's October (at least while I'm writing this) and I thought it would be fun to do a couple of Halloween-themed lists. The first list I'm going to work on writing is this Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes.
I know you've seen them every year. Sure the source of the costume has a scary history, but it doesn't really translate into the typical costume attempt. I won't get into specific costumes for now, but these costumes could be scary if it were for the fact that there are about 50 people dressed the same way on every street in America. (OK, that's a little extreme, but you get the idea.)
This list will focus primarily on the lack of scare factor and the ease of costume preparation. I know that people can put a lot of work into these costumes, but traditionally, they tend to be thrown together at the last minute. (I am well known for such costumes, so I'm pointing the finger at myself too.)
The actual list will be coming out soon and will hopefully be done before Halloween rolls around. Let me know if you think of any I should have on the list and comment below. (I've got 11 so far and I just need one more, but I'll probably get started anyway.)
I know you've seen them every year. Sure the source of the costume has a scary history, but it doesn't really translate into the typical costume attempt. I won't get into specific costumes for now, but these costumes could be scary if it were for the fact that there are about 50 people dressed the same way on every street in America. (OK, that's a little extreme, but you get the idea.)
This list will focus primarily on the lack of scare factor and the ease of costume preparation. I know that people can put a lot of work into these costumes, but traditionally, they tend to be thrown together at the last minute. (I am well known for such costumes, so I'm pointing the finger at myself too.)
The actual list will be coming out soon and will hopefully be done before Halloween rolls around. Let me know if you think of any I should have on the list and comment below. (I've got 11 so far and I just need one more, but I'll probably get started anyway.)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Top Twelve X-men-Number 6
Colossus
Here we have the X-man that I feel connected to the most. I mean, I'm not Russian, and I never really worked on a farm. I have younger sisters, but neither of them... (I'm getting ahead of myself here. Let's just jump to the actual discussion of Peter Rasputin.)
So Colossus is part of the second round of X-men. He is part of the ethnic mix that is a part of this new team. From the start we get to see that Peter is more than just the strong man of the team. Sure he can change his flesh into organic metal which allows him to take lots of damage, but there's also a sensitive and caring side to this man. Sure he's made out of metal and he's able to repel most attacks, but that doesn't make his willingness to stand in harm's way to protect his friends.
As time passed, Peter became a more complex character. Yes, he is a pillar of strength and power for the team, but he is also an artist and it is his determination to help other that makes him one of the mainstays of the team. (We'll get to that in a bit, but I don't want to get ahead of myself.)
Colossus has many advantages what with his power to transform into organic metal, but he also has many disadvantages that were very frustrating to him. Unlike the Beast, Colossus was most likely to rush in and start bashing the enemy. This was a problem if his enemy could get in a good shot. There were many times early on that Colossus was seen flying off into the distance or crawling out of a crater. He was also a liability in fights against Magneto. This made him doubt his place on the team, but with some help from his friends he was able to find a way to avoid those problems and be a real force in the battle against an assortment of enemies.
Things got complicated when Peter's sister Illyana discovers her mutant power to open teleportational portals that pass through the demon realm of Limbo. One moment Illyana is a little girl, and the next she is a teenager who has spent most of her life literally living with demons. It is tough for Peter to accept at first, but he is quick to accept his rapidly aged sister and love her unconditionally.
OK, major plot points for Colossus that make him a part of the list. (It has to be more than just the fact that I really like him, right?) Well, let's see. Not only is Colossus a mainstay for the team, he's also been involved in a number of major story lines. Colossus gave his life to end the Legacy Virus. He also saved the day during the Proteus storyline and during the epic battle in Dallas where the X-men kept the the spirit of mischief from ending the world. (In both cases it was Peter's metal form that ended those battles. Probably the biggest moment though was when Peter left the X-men to join Magneto for a time. This was a major blow to the spirit and moral of the team because Peter was such a consistent part of the team.
Even though he died from curing the Legacy Virus, that didn't keep him from coming back from the dead. Everyone else had their time, so why not Colossus too?
Here we have the X-man that I feel connected to the most. I mean, I'm not Russian, and I never really worked on a farm. I have younger sisters, but neither of them... (I'm getting ahead of myself here. Let's just jump to the actual discussion of Peter Rasputin.)
So Colossus is part of the second round of X-men. He is part of the ethnic mix that is a part of this new team. From the start we get to see that Peter is more than just the strong man of the team. Sure he can change his flesh into organic metal which allows him to take lots of damage, but there's also a sensitive and caring side to this man. Sure he's made out of metal and he's able to repel most attacks, but that doesn't make his willingness to stand in harm's way to protect his friends.
As time passed, Peter became a more complex character. Yes, he is a pillar of strength and power for the team, but he is also an artist and it is his determination to help other that makes him one of the mainstays of the team. (We'll get to that in a bit, but I don't want to get ahead of myself.)
Colossus has many advantages what with his power to transform into organic metal, but he also has many disadvantages that were very frustrating to him. Unlike the Beast, Colossus was most likely to rush in and start bashing the enemy. This was a problem if his enemy could get in a good shot. There were many times early on that Colossus was seen flying off into the distance or crawling out of a crater. He was also a liability in fights against Magneto. This made him doubt his place on the team, but with some help from his friends he was able to find a way to avoid those problems and be a real force in the battle against an assortment of enemies.
Things got complicated when Peter's sister Illyana discovers her mutant power to open teleportational portals that pass through the demon realm of Limbo. One moment Illyana is a little girl, and the next she is a teenager who has spent most of her life literally living with demons. It is tough for Peter to accept at first, but he is quick to accept his rapidly aged sister and love her unconditionally.
OK, major plot points for Colossus that make him a part of the list. (It has to be more than just the fact that I really like him, right?) Well, let's see. Not only is Colossus a mainstay for the team, he's also been involved in a number of major story lines. Colossus gave his life to end the Legacy Virus. He also saved the day during the Proteus storyline and during the epic battle in Dallas where the X-men kept the the spirit of mischief from ending the world. (In both cases it was Peter's metal form that ended those battles. Probably the biggest moment though was when Peter left the X-men to join Magneto for a time. This was a major blow to the spirit and moral of the team because Peter was such a consistent part of the team.
Even though he died from curing the Legacy Virus, that didn't keep him from coming back from the dead. Everyone else had their time, so why not Colossus too?
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