History Main / AuthorAvatar

** On Nick's channel, the fellas are represented by animations of their ''VideoGame/MarioPartySuperstars'' mains imitating ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' character sprites:

** On [=TCNick3=]'s channel, the fellas are represented by animations of their ''VideoGame/MarioPartySuperstars'' mains imitating character sprites from ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':

** In "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiUO9FSJslE Mario Party but the bonus stars are EVIL]]", the crew is represented by animations of [[https://www.youtube.com/@ExsioPicore Exsio Picore]]'s designs from the ''VideoGame/PartyProject'' mod.

* [[SubvertedTrope Subverted by]] ''WebVideo/{{Shrooms}}'': while the personalities of Blue and Red are based on creators Theditor and Shadow Raptor respectively, Shadow Raptor voices Blue and Theditor voices Red.

* Nagase in ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters [[AlternateContinuity Maximum Impact]] 2'' is a direct author avatar of producer Falcoon. Considering he's homosexual, [[AttractiveBentGender there are no]] UnfortunateImplications here. From the same series, protagonist Alba Meira [[WordOfGod was designed as a "cooler" Falcoon]]. It ''would'' explain why he has access to moves such as a ''triple'' projectile and an anti-air reversal...

* ''[[WebAnimation/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers SMG4]]'' used a PaletteSwap of [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] with white overalls and a blue shirt and cap, and it was made even more evident that he is the representation of Luke Lerdwichagul with [[TheNthDoctor SMG4's redesign]], whose appearance is directly based on him. It should also be noted that before the redesign, his profile picture as well as certain merchandise depicted him as a caricature of his real-life self wearing his Mario recolor outfit.

* The character Grigoriy Aleksandrovich Pechorin in Mikhail Lermontov's ''Literature/AHeroOfOurTime'' fits this trope perfectly. So much so that, much like Pechorin, Lermontov had an obsession with dueling--which ultimately lead to his death.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/musker_clements_4166.jpg those two guys]] have the faces of John Musker and Ron Clements. They also appeared in ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TreasurePlanet'' (as robots), ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog'', and possibly others.

* Creator/ScottCawthon uses the stick figure man from one of his older games, ''VideoGame/ThereIsNoPauseButton'', as his Steam and Website/YouTube icon. [[spoiler:This avatar also shows up in 3D form to represent him in the [[TrueFinalBoss final boss battle of Hard Mode]] of ''Videogame/FiveNightsAtFreddysWorld''. The avatar then became a party member in the game's final update under the name "Animdude", which Scott uses on social media sites like Reddit.]]

* The Website/DeviantArt group Website/EarthG is made of these.

* ''Literature/HarryPotter'':
** Hermione Granger is, by Creator/JKRowling's own admission, an exaggeration of herself when she was younger. Rowling says she was a bit of an InsufferableGenius in her younger days but [[DefrostingIceQueen gradually mellowed out]], much as Hermione does over the course of the series (this may be why, of all the young performers in the ''Potter'' movies, Rowling is closest to Creator/EmmaWatson). Rowling has admitted that each of the three main characters are aspects of herself.
** Luna Lovegood can actually be considered an author surrogate as well as like JK, Luna lost her mother at early age, something that defined the rest of her life. However Luna is a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} while JK is bit grounded like Hermione while still being imaginative, to clarify this Rowling says she actually ''envies'' Luna for her ability to not care what people think of her and wishes she could be like her.
** JK slips a bit of herself in [[Literature/HarryPotter again]] in ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' through characters Tina Goldstein and her younger sister Queenie, fans were quick to point out draw similarities between JK and her younger sister Dianne who had a close bond growing up together. Sisterhood generally is a strong theme in the series e.g Petunia and Lily, Narcissa and Bellatrix.

* [[Characters/GravityFallsDipperPines Dipper Pines]] from ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' was explicitly based on series creator Creator/AlexHirsch, drawing on his childhood experiences, while Dipper's twin sister Mabel was based on Hirsch's real-life sister.

* Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster conceptualized ComicBook/{{Superman}} in response to the turmoil of their own lives being ostracized for growing up as Jewish kids as well as immigrants (much like Supes himself). Paradoxically the [[WhatCouldHaveBeen initial idea]] was for Supes to be the villainous "Übermensch" lambasting Nietzsche's idea which Siegel and Shuster abhorred. However, Joe Shuster flipped this around and made Superman the hero, [[TheCape the ideal man]] who would fight the perceived injustices and wrongs as a kind of WishFulfillment for the pair.
* Creator/BryanTalbot has multiple facets of himself in ''Alice in Sunderland''.

** Morrison was directly inserted as a godlike character in their run on ''Comicbook/AnimalMan''. This character, now referred to as 'The Writer', was killed in an issue of ''Comicbook/SuicideSquad'' by John Ostrander (possibly as a TakeThat).
** Morrison was also the model for King Mob of ''Comicbook/TheInvisibles'', and certainly seems to ''believe'' that they enjoyed some sort of mystical link to the character, pointing to the fact that they suffered a collapsed lung when King Mob was recovering from a gunshot wound.

* It's interesting case with ComicBook/WonderWoman and her creator Creator/WilliamMoultonMarston as it's more accurate to say Diana is based off Marston's wife Elizabeth and [[{{Polyamory}} their lover]] Olive Burn with Marston himself being more in line with Steve Trevor. It's true Wonder Woman being BoundAndGagged in many issues was a reflection of Marston’s [[AuthorAppeal fetish]] for bondage, but Diana [[https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=630x10000:format=jpg/path/seaa0726217aecb01/image/i3fec98d8933543b1/version/1440352224/image.jpg breaking the chains herself]] was also symbolic of the Women Suffrage movement which Marston his wife and Olive Burn [[FeministFantasy supported]].
* An unusual and ironic example: Colonel Olrik, the ''ArchEnemy'' in the ComicBook/BlakeAndMortimer comics, is a portrait of Edgar P. Jacobs, the author. That's it: the series's author cast ''himself'' as the guy who regularly gets the heroes into trouble.
* In ''Comicbook/ElfQuest'' Cutter is an avatar of artist/co-writer Wendy Pini (at least her male side) and Skywise is her husband and the other co-writer, Richard. Also, the humans Nonna and Adar, although being mortal they're not around as long.
* ''Comicbook/{{Fanhunter}}'''s author, Cels Piñol, appears in the comics as Cels Denbrough, a fan-pire (sort of a living dead who eats comics, movies and so, given that he hasn't read/watched them previously). Kicks as much butt and is as butt-kicked as every other character, and though he's one of the protagonists, he doesn't steal the spotlight.
* According to Steve Moncuse, Inspector Gill of ''ComicBook/FishPolice'' is heavily based on himself.
* In the DC {{Elseworld}}s miniseries ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'' ([[BroughtDownToNormal where all powered heroes lose their abilities]] in what is essentially a 3-part love letter to ComicBook/{{Batman}}), it becomes quite blatant that the ComicBook/MartianManhunter is an avatar for author Doug Moench. He rants about how the heroes "deserved" to lose their powers, even himself (despite technically not having powers at all since his abilities are natural functions of his race), then raves about the coolness of Batman.
* Jim and Maggie Power, the parents of Marvel's ''Comicbook/PowerPack'', are very, very thinly disguised versions of the husband-wife writer/artist team Walter and Louise Simonson; Louise previously co-created the original series.
* Comicbook/ShadeTheChangingMan: Shade's cultural confusion in America echoed Peter Milligan's own sense of cultural alienation in America.
* Jack Knight, Franchise/TheDCU's ''ComicBook/{{Starman|DCComics}}'', was blatantly and unabashedly a dual creator avatar. The first volume's introduction has a third-party writer note that Jack ''is'' writer James Robinson and that he bears a strong resemblance to artist and designer Tony Harris.
* In the German comic ''ComicBook/{{Werner}}'':
** Some believed that Werner and Brösel are the same person. In fact, however, Brösel's Author Avatar has been a Werner look-alike with glasses in the first few books. Around the time when ''Beinhart!'' was produced with Brösel starring as himself in the live-action parts, he drew a more faithful comic version of himself that also appears in later books.
** Brösel drew both himself and guest artist Jörg Reymann into ''Volle Latte!'' He went by the name Ørg to make it less obvious.

* The Comicbook/FantasticFour rented their original home base from a landlord who clearly wasn't Creator/JackKirby at all... And the Thing? Just because he's Jewish and was from the same part of New York as Jack Kirby [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial does not mean he is based on Jack Kirby]]. This came to a head when Marvel published the ComicBook/WhatIf story "What if the original Marvel Bullpen became the fantastic four?" Smilin' Creator/StanLee became [[TheLeader Mr. Fantastic]], Stupendous Sol Brodsky flames on as the [[TheLancer Human Torch]], Fabulous Flo Steinberg becomes the Invisible Girl, and, as one might guess based on the above, Battlin' Jack Kirby becomes the ever-lovin' blue eyed thing!
* While Stan Lee may have shaped the personality of ComicBook/SpiderMan (see below) it's important to note Peter Parker was the true Author Avatar for Creator/SteveDitko, going so far as to [[https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/steve-ditko-machkovech.jpg model himself]] on Spidey's alter ego like Jack Kirby did with The Thing. Ditko was also introverted to the point of Stan Lee dubbing him "Shy" Steve Ditko which echoes Peter Parker's own wallflower nature (bonus points that they both grew up in Forest Hills, Queens). Really, Spidey can be seen as some level of WishFulfillment for Steve. Similarly, ComicBook/DoctorStrange’s anti-social, solitary, and stubborn nature is akin to his creator.

** Stan also mentioned in an interview that his own traits were the basis of Reed Richards's tendency to over-explain everything (and subsequently get yelled at). Now look back on all Ben and Reed's interactions in the Lee-Kirby issues of the Comicbook/FantasticFour...

%%* Creator/WarrenEllis does this quite a bit; sometimes the avatar's a writer, sometimes not. Pete Wisdom in ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'', Curzon, the British detective in his run on ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor''. Spider Jerusalem in ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}''. The Wildstorm Universe has at least two: ''ComicBook/{{Planetary}}'' has Elijah Snow, and ''Comicbook/TheAuthority'' has Jenny Sparks.
%% Commented out as ZCE, as suggested in the "Is this an example?" forum thread - but I think this also needs more justification to show these really meet the Author Avatar standard. Being British and snarky is not sufficient.
* ComicBook/{{Tintin}} is naturally based off Creator/{{Herge}} with even some physical similarities to boot, however since Tintin was [[IncorruptiblePurePureness idealistic]] Herge reflected more of his flaws into Captain Haddock. Interestingly Snowy Tintin's [[NonHumanSidekick loyal dog]] was based off Herge's childhood sweetheart whose nickname was "Milou" Snowy's French name.

* ''ComicBook/ExMachina'' includes a subplot where the protagonist commissions a comic book to be written about his life. He calls in Creator/BrianKVaughan and Tony Harris (the co-creators of ''Ex Machina'') to interview for the gig. They don't get it.
* Italian artist Paolo Serpieri has inserted himself into his ''ComicBook/{{Druuna}}'' comics in the form of a character called The Doctor. Since Druuna is basically his idealized woman, it's more or less an extensive [[PygmalionPlot Galatea fantasy]] on his part.
* ''Comicbook/UltimateSpiderMan'': Kenny "Kong" [=McFarlane=] was a very clear one for writer Creator/BrianBendis; not only did he look just like a teen version of Bendis (which was made even more obvious when Bendis made an outright CreatorCameo and was drawn identical to Kenny), but he would echo many of Bendis' opinions, and even functioned the way a SelfInsertFic character would. He got CharacterShilling from others, was made one of Peter's closest friends to the point of supplanting the role of other canon characters (notably, Flash Thompson), and even became a BetaCouple with Kitty Pryde, a character that not only has Bendis admitted to having a crush on, but her CreatorsFavorite status is so infamous he's received a (playful) TakeThat over it in the past.

* [[WordOfGod The (very talkative) author has observed that]] Emrys of ''Fanfic/TheWizardInTheShadows'' actually started as a SelfInsertFic, albeit an unintentional one, before he developed a personality of his own. This was only noticed in embarrassing retrospect. It has also been suggested that Harry took on a few of the author's personality traits (along with those of [[Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]]), though how much of this WriteWhatYouKnow and how much is SignatureStyle is ambiguous.
* Website/DeviantArt is quite fond of Author Avatars for fandoms in general (hey, it IS first and foremost an art website after all), to the extent that no fandom for ANY franchise is complete without them.

** All the way back in ''Manga/PhantomBlood'', Araki compared [[TheHero Jonathan Joestar]] to himself, saying both he and Jonathan were trying to find what their place in the world was.
** Rohan Kishibe from ''Manga/DiamondIsUnbreakable'' is sometimes seen as a representation of Araki. Rohan is also a mangaka, and his [[FightingSpirit Stand]], Heaven's Door, lets him open people up like books so he can read their personal information and write commands, very symbolic for someone who represents the series' creator. However, Araki has said that he's a little put off by the comparison, since Rohan is an InsufferableGenius and a [[{{Jerkass}} bit of a prick]], while Araki wants to be seen as mellow and approachable. For that matter, Rohan utterly despises Josuke, who Araki has said is his favorite character he created.

* ''Franchise/OnePiece'':
** Creator/EiichiroOda made an appearance as Odacchi in the ''Manga/OnePiece'' anime soccer short, in which he gloriously kicks a penalty [[spoiler:right in the keeper's hands]].

* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'': According to WordOfGod, Usagi was based on her mangaka, Creator/NaokoTakeuchi--to the point that Usagi's family members share the names of Takeuchi's family.

* Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster conceptualized Franchise/{{Superman}} in response to the turmoil of their own lives being ostracized for growing up as Jewish kids as well as immigrants (much like Supes himself). Paradoxically the [[WhatCouldHaveBeen initial idea]] was for Supes to be the villainous "Übermensch" lambasting Nietzsche's idea which Siegel and Shuster abhorred. However, Joe Shuster flipped this around and made Superman the hero, [[TheCape the ideal man]] who would fight the perceived injustices and wrongs as a kind of WishFulfillment for the pair.

* In the DC {{Elseworld}}s miniseries ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'' ([[BroughtDownToNormal where all powered heroes lose their abilities]] in what is essentially a 3-part love letter to Franchise/{{Batman}}), it becomes quite blatant that the ComicBook/MartianManhunter is an avatar for author Doug Moench. He rants about how the heroes "deserved" to lose their powers, even himself (despite technically not having powers at all since his abilities are natural functions of his race), then raves about the coolness of Batman.

* Creator/JuddWinick may have done this with Max Lord in the beginning of ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueGenerationLost #15''. Lord's plan includes killing Franchise/WonderWoman and turning the Amazons against the world, starting a human-vs-metahuman war. However, this is impossible due to the complete rewrite of Wonder Woman's character and backstory at the hands of Creator/JMichaelStraczynski. It's easy to see Lord's ranting in this issue and picture Winick's frustration as to how he's supposed to make this story work now.

* While Stan Lee may have shaped the personality of ComicBook/SpiderMan (see below) it's important to note Peter Parker was the true AuthorAvatar for Creator/SteveDitko, going so far as to [[https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/steve-ditko-machkovech.jpg model himself]] on Spidey's alter ego like Jack Kirby did with The Thing. Ditko was also introverted to the point of Stan Lee dubbing him "Shy" Steve Ditko which echoes Peter Parker's own wallflower nature (bonus points that they both grew up in Forest Hills, Queens). Really, Spidey can be seen as some level of WishFulfillment for Steve. Similarly, ComicBook/DoctorStrange’s anti-social, solitary, and stubborn nature is akin to his creator.

%% Commented out as ZCE, as suggested in the "Is this an example?" forum thread - but I think this also needs more justification to show these really meet the AuthorAvatar standard. Being British and snarky is not sufficient.

* By his author's own admission, Nick from ''Literature/{{Atharon}}'' is AuthorAvatar, acting and behaving the same way author would have done in the world. Only Nick has six-pack instead of beer belly. And magical powers.

** JK slips a bit of herself in [[Franchise/HarryPotter again]] in ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' through characters Tina Goldstein and her younger sister Queenie, fans were quick to point out draw similarities between JK and her younger sister Dianne who had a close bond growing up together. Sisterhood generally is a strong theme in the series e.g Petunia and Lily, Narcissa and Bellatrix.

* Dawson of ''Series/DawsonsCreek'' started out as one, then went really meta with an in-universe version in the finale, when Dawson directs a television show called The Creek, where his AuthorAvatar does get the girl.

* VideoGame/AlanWake is loosely based on creator Sam Lake. Luckily Lake is awesome. Max's face in the first ''VideoGame/MaxPayne'' IS Sam Lake's.
* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' has K.K. Slider/Totakeke, who is based on Nintendo composer Kazumi Totaka. One of Slider's songs, K.K. Song, is even based on [[CreatorThumbprint the famous "Totaka's Song"]].

* ''VideoGame/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorldTheGame'' has the film's director Edgar Wright as a sprite in Level 2.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' uses it InUniverse at a few points:
** ''Turn of the Golden Witch'' provides highly questionable semi-example when [[DimensionLord Beatrice]], who more or less "wrote" the various murder scenarios solved in the series, writes herself into the story.
** ''End of the Golden Witch'' is a clearer example, the story's events boiling down to a villain's self-insert fanfic.
** [[spoiler:Featherine]] in Episode 6 explicitly says that she is an author avatar, who is getting [[spoiler: Ange, replacing Battler as AudienceSurrogate]] to read and interpret the story for her--representing the relationship between Ryukishi and the theory-crazy, speculating community. Because including a meta-narrative wasn't enough, we needed the meta-meta-narrative thrown into the story itself. In Episode 8, she also shows off her AuthorPowers by deciding to kill someone and promising to write how she did it later on.
* Amanda in ''VisualNovel/SmoldepsMagickalAdventure2EvenGayer'', in the game’s classic StylisticSuck fashion, is just straight up represented by a real life stock photo-like image of the author. Not only is she an author avatar, she also uses her AuthorPowers to [[spoiler:end the game permanently as AuthorsRetaliation for Smoldep not answering her texts and complaining about the length of the game.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* ''WebComic/DragonBallMultiverse'': Creator/AkiraToriyama, the creator of ''Franchise/DragonBall'' appears in the strip as a fighter only to quit when he realizes that the fighter he is up against is not his creation. While leaving, he meets the {{Author Avatar}}s of the creators of ''Webcomic/DragonBallMultiverse'' who ask him for his autograph, which he gives them, in Japanese.
* It's revealed in the penultimate comic of ''Webcomic/BrawlInTheFamily'' that [[spoiler: Master Hand]] is this. He gives a speech about how, yes, he's been guiding the characters on the paths they're currently on, but it's out of love for said characters. He also reveals that it's someone else's turn now, but he'll always remember them, and their stories will continue.

* A common complaint of Seth Macfarlane's other show ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' is that [[Characters/FamilyGuyBrianGriffin Brian Griffin]], who Macfarlane also voices with his normal speaking voice, is also regularly used to espouse Macfarlane's own views on the show and otherwise engage in an AuthorFilibuster

* As seen in the page image, a recurring gag in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'':

* Uniqua from ''WesternAnimation/TheBackyardigans'' was based on the series' creator, Creator/JaniceBurgess. In an [[https://archive.org/details/crains-little-airplane-oobi-wonderpets/2009-Investor%27s-Business-Daily/ interview,]] Burgess said, "Uniqua is me. Or at least who I was as a kid. She’'s a ringleader. Out of the five, Uniqua is the main character, and we use her in every story."