Creating A Character's Backstory

I have a character in my superhero comic(BFF and Secret-Keeper to the main character) with a pretty well defined personality. However, I'm having trouble figuring out why she acts the way she does. I want to get her basic back story down before I start writing this comic. I'm going to list some facts about her (Partly to help myself as well) to try to give you a basic feel for her character

• Speaks in monotone, little inflection in her voice. For speech patterns, think Aaron Stack from Nextwave
• Short and chubby, was picked on in highschool
• Doesn't like to talk about her high-ranking, mysterious job with her roommate (The main character). Shrewd business woman.
• Huge Japanophile. Collects Japanese weaponry, loves Anime (Especially Yaoi), and speaks perfect Japanese
• Knows her roommates morning schedule down to the minute
• Not afraid to get sociopathic when the greater good calls for it, such as pushing her roommate (a superhero) off a building (She knows she can land safely) into a horde of zombies because her roommate needed to save the day and is deathly afraid of zombies.
• Doesn't mind helping her roommate fight crime, usually by driving her places and inserting common sense when needed.
• Can terrify her roommate's archnemesis.
• Does not freak out about the weird comicbook stuff that happens to her roommate
• Can be pervy, not shy about stuff like that
• Prefers her men to be innocent and weak-willed, but not for dating If You Know What I Mean. Tends to go after men she's attracted to.
• Biggest pet peeve is her roommate not using a plate when eating and getting crumbs everywhere.
• Values their friendship immensely, and is surprisingly generous. She owns their apartment and rents out the room at a discounted rate, doesn't mind if the roommate's brother sleeps over (They're pretty good friends too), and let's roommate borrow weapons for crime fighting purposes.
• Dresses well
• Some quotes!
  • "Ah, yes...her brother"-When answering the door for Main character's brother.
  • "Luna! Stop arguing with children!"
  • "I WILL EVISCERATE YOU IN YOUR SLEEP!"-When enraged.
    
    For how she was raised, I know I want her to be from a wealthy family, went to private schools growing up, and her parents talk like she does. I'm not sure what makes her the way she is though. What are your thoughts?

What makes her that way you say? Well, she was or is a kid and all kids or well most kids are influenced by their parents and the audience that surrounds them constantly. What is said to them and done to them, that is what can effect their personality and make it what it is today!! Hope I helped

Um, I was kind of trying to figure out <i>what</i> was said and done to her that made her the way she is. You know, specifics. But thanks for your input

Is your work more on the silly side? If so, you can have a variation of the Hilariously Abusive Childhood. Like she was raised by a Spartan. A geeky Spartan.

Oh what was done to her.. Hm the same things that she does to others! Like her temper, her mom may have been like that with her or a rival of some sort...

edited 29th Jan '12 10:55:36 AM by iDreams

Depends on how serious you want to make the story. My suggestion? If she's a Japanophiile, maybe she's based her logic and personality on anime characters. If you wanted, you could play that for laughs ("I figured I'd do what the girls at the top of the popularity polls in JUMP do") or for drama ("I was unsatisfied with who I was, so I used fiction as a guide to remake myself").

Granted, there are other ways you could create a backstory, but that's just something I figured I'd toss out there. But usually when I think of backstory, I think of interactions with other characters — friends, family, rivals, etc. Try thinking about it from that angle, and how her personality and beliefs (past or present) might have mingled/clashed with those of others.