The Xpider Project - Earth-1617 - Comic VAs Needed
Joe Velkovich for [LIZ] Harry Osborne
Gender (of character): Male (he/him/his)
Accent: Any
Age: Early-30s
Role in Story: Antagonist (Supporting)
Voice: Masculine, eerie, manipulative, sinister, mid-low pitch
Character Description: Harry Osborne (ha-REE OZ-bourn) is the current face of dominant corporation Alchemax. New York, in its current state, is almost entirely backed and influenced by the powerful company—Alchemax has and continues to severely pollute the city with their actions, serving as the main “big bad”. Of course, Alchemax didn’t singlehandedly cause a planetary pollution crisis, but the irresponsibility of world leaders to take action as a product of Alchemax’s hold was. They favored furthering research and funded environmentally damaging projects without considering the long-term effects. Alchemax’s experiments also run rampant and are majorly performed under the radar, usually in violation of many human rights, causing many mutated individuals to roam the streets after non-consensual experimentation. The political climate in NY is in shambles due to this. Corruption runs rampant.
Harry himself is the face of the entire operation. It’s his face and his voice on every billboard, every advertisement, everywhere. His actual position is the brand ambassador. Both his parents were some of the most revered scientists in Alchemax, who have both gone mysteriously missing (spoiler: one is Nighthawk, one is Ink Goblin). Harry also leads in client management and sponsorships, which is where he interacts with Aether. With his pretty face and million dollar smile, he’s made himself Alchemax’s golden boy.
Personality: What his real personality is? Nobody really knows. He’s too busy smiling with too many teeth in front of cameras and narrating endlessly about the support Alchemax gives the city. To be truthful, this probably means he’s very hard to trigger. He has a silver tongue that usually captivates people to sway in favor of Alchemax and the company. But truly, he’s cold and heartless—he has made little effort to save his parents from their symbiotic peril, mostly due to how coldly they treated him as a child; especially when he refused a STEM-oriented career. They only truly grew to respect him when he first secured his career.
VA Description/Voice Direction:
Balancing charisma and creepy is crucial in this role. He’s camera-trained and knows very well what he’s doing, but almost every working-class citizen is unsettled by him with knowledge of Alchemax’s doings.
Note: he is not flirtatious nor is he emotional.
Any accent is welcome for this role—I think it would be especially interesting for his issues to stem from cultural expectations. Be creative!
I’m sure we’ve all been acquainted with “smiling face of EVIL company!!!!” tropes in recent times; for this reason, I specifically ask that you try avoiding caricature-like voices that have been common with characters like these lately.
Voice References:
Gustavo Fring - Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul - Giancarlo Esposito
[NEUTRAL, THEATRICAL] Harry Osborne speaking some inspirational (canned) lines for an advertisement, displayed on a billboard in Times Square.
Intended to show his general saccharine cadence and his role at Alchemax.
“Our mission? To make our world efficient. At Alchemax, our team works tirelessly to make a difference in society. Explore our website for information on how you can build a career with us, the world’s leading voice in science.”
[NEUTRAL, THREATENING] Harry Osborne’s response to Aether’s request to split her hero identity from Alchemax’s sponsorship. Intended to be displeased, vaguely dangerous, but still cool-headed.
“In truth, Aether…” (A beat, for dramatic effect.) “...I can assure you that cutting ties wouldn’t be a great idea. In fact, it would be a terrible one. But… if you so desperately want to, just say the word.”
(Aether → AYY-thur)
[FURIOUS, MONOTONE] Harry Osborne speaking to his father, Norman Osborne, as he was being inoculated with the symbiote suit that would later turn him into the Ink Goblin. Intended to show his genuine cruelty and disdain for his family.
“It’s grafting to your skin, isn’t it? Certainly you didn’t think this was a good idea? Perhaps you deserve it, you know. For everybody you screwed over, the money you pissed away, the boots you licked. But that’s just what I think.”
- fandub
- male adult
[NEUTRAL, THEATRICAL] Our mission? To make our world efficient. At Alchemax, our team works tirelessly to make a difference in society. Explore our website for information on how you can build a career with us, the world’s leading voice in science.
[NEUTRAL, THREATENING] In truth, Aether… (A beat, for dramatic effect.) ...I can assure you that cutting ties wouldn’t be a great idea. In fact, it would be a terrible one. But… if you so desperately want to, just say the word.
[FURIOUS, MONOTONE] It’s grafting to your skin, isn’t it? Certainly you didn’t think this was a good idea? Perhaps you deserve it, you know. For everybody you screwed over, the money you pissed away, the boots you licked. But that’s just what I think.
