I honestly love this! Way to go, Jenna! Her expression and determination are really showing < 3

Vox and Haru: okay, and no digs intended at the artist. As I said, it's a nice drawing. Mamakato did a good job with it. But while it may be an interesting idea, and while I totally get the notion of putting a discussion point into art form, it's how it was couched in the description (which has already changed since I posted my comment) accompanying this drawing.

But Jenna's primary role in the Balto movie seemed to have been a love interest for Balto, and to create a romantic subplot. However, the writers did give her a bit of heroic opportunity in the movie, and some (albeit passively) in the third movie. And I disagree with the view that she comes across merely as a "trophy" or that her storyline was weak. It's in the second movie where she becomes an afterthought and, thus, weak. The original movie was designed to be based on the true story of an actual dog. It's a foregone conclusion that, without the inspiration for this movie, the entirely fictional character of Jenna would never have existed at all, and we all wouldn't even be having this discussion. Without Balto, there couldn't have been a Jenna. And really, it is still a movie series aimed at kids...not young adult and adult fanboys and fangirls who want to try and over-analyze and underestimate it. And to endlessly criticize it because it doesn't play well or dramatic enough to an adult audience.

All that being said, it would have made this concept a lot easier to digest, and understand, had the motivation for the drawing been explained in the description (even if just briefly, as was done in the comments you guys left since mine). But she left it only with the implication (note: I said "implication") that Jenna would have made a far better hero(ine) than Balto. That is a highly subjective opinion. And is bound to spark discussion. Which it did. No harm, no foul. I was just offering my feedback on the description originally posted.

Here's my two cents on the description issue:
The only way Jenna would have made the first movie better as the main character... would be to make her be proof that dainty females aren't just there to stand there, be pretty eye candy for the males, have a mate/raise babies, and do nothing [which is, ironically, what she did in the sequels mostly]. I agree with JC and Mighty though, mainly because the series [and the first movie] is called "Balto", so it should be HIS story, especially since he actually played a role in the Serum Run [though not as a wolfdog - get ya facts right, kids!]. Jenna is merely the connection to the only ones that trust and believe in him [that aren't Boris and da bears; Rosy is the other one, obviously], the strong drive that he needed to keep going to get the medicine [because we all know he wanted to get with her because she's pretty. Seriously, it's the truth!], and the obvious love interest. I would like to see this version of the movie written as a fic or a fan-comic though. I'm curious to see what challenges she'd have to endure to do something that probably many others believe a female with tiny paws can't do, as well as what others would say and think about her. It's an interesting and empowering concept.

I do feel like movie one's major weakness [other than "Balto the perfectly-imperfect Gary Stu" himself] is the slew of historical inaccuracies. I'll spare you the ranting though, because we all know how incorrect many things were in comparison to the actual Serum Run already---blah-blah-blah... enough of that.

But... I might as well talk about the image instead - I really think it's gorgeous. Jenna truly looks like a dog on a mission, and I agree that I wish the movies continued to make her a character that did something worthwhile [you know, like movie one - SHE WAS FIGHTING A BEAR. HOLY ANIU, that is BOSS. Also, she did travel all that way just to find Balto, so I give her some credit.]. Great job!

- Juuchan17

Hmm, I have to disagree with Jenna taking Balto's role. The whole reason the film even exists is because of the 1925 serum run, so having a film that only focuses on Jenna ruins the whole point of dedicating a movie to a real life event. Jenna's soul purpose in the film is to be Balto's love interest. There are plenty of other movies out there that have characters with little screen time as well. Take Bambi for example. Feline is Bambi's future love interest, and she doesn't appear on screen for long periods of time. Heck, she has less screen time in the second movie.

I'm not saying that your idea is garbage, as this could work well as a fanfic.

The point of the image was based off of a conversation held in the shoutbox on how the whole movie should've been changed to just be about her. Strengthened plot, more interesting characters, less " women are trophies", and less forced romance.

In the end, it would have been cooler if they didn't water the whole movie down in to a little love sick drama.

JC; this was talking within the movie's boundaries, not real life. it was just a "what if" idea that we thought would be cool to see, and in a sense felt it would be awesome to see jenna setting out to save rosie (and the other children) herself, and a bigger role for her.

Balto movies.
How they should have been.
Epidemic: Balto (movie one)
Epidemic: Togo (movie two)
Epidemic: Fritz (move here)

Realistic "Balto" movies.

Epidemic Balto: no love intrest, more human interaction, realist design. (Black and white not brown and tan). Historically correct.
Epidemic: Togo & Epidemic: Fritz
Same theme, differnt point of view.

A much more powerful storyline? How? By focusing on a young female dog infatuated with a stray wolfdog who had no apparent prospects in life? Who doesn't face adversity much differently than the existing hero of the story? And who, in fact, starts off shy, meek and unassuming (and not terribly interesting at all at first), and doesn't really come into her own as a brave heroine until faced with stark adversity?

Sorry, but I'm not seeing how it could have been "much more powerful" that way. Not in the least. The movie is, after all, entitled "Balto", not "Jenna". And is, at least in theory, based off of a real canine hero. One who, in spite of his actual owner's disdain for all the press he received historically, actually did a pretty good job for his first time in a lead position.

If anything would have made the story "more powerful", it would have been if Spielberg had actually stuck to the historical facts more, and focused not only on Balto, but Togo, Fritz, Blackie, Star, etc.

All that being said, this is a nice drawing. Well done.

She definitely should've had a larger role in the sequels. And the title of the image is a very fitting name for her.

Great image!