Yeah, I know, there's no such thing as a new idea - it's just one of the downsides of being a creative genius, I guess - but can you imagine how vexed I was when, tuning into the new Thunderbirds Are Go TV series by Weta in 2015, I saw one of their vehicles, the Thunder Shadow, resembling an idea I had for a Thunderbirds sequel I designed 20 years before the episode aired!!
So, here's my sketch for a rescue vehicle that takes off vertically from a platform that swivels into position.
Whilst in flight, the jet craft can then jetison it's cockpit which turns into a wheeled road vehicle that's like a cross between a bike and a car.
And here is the Thunder Shadow which, yep, does the exact same thing!
I was super pissed off, because this was meant to be my star vehicle - I'd written many stories that centered around it's unique abilities. And, just to put one last boot in, was to be piloted by a female character, just like the Thunder Shadow.
I had to rewrite episodes, and drop the vehicle altogether. It sucked, and this happens all the time. But rather than getting bitter about it, I prefered to take it as a validation.
This isolated, unemplyed nerd, who lives in the back end of the West Country, had ideas that are worthy enough to make it into a prime-time tv show like Thunderbirds, which I have always loved.
