So has anyone ever had a Green Ember character or characters remind them of characters from another franchise?
My sister and I listened to the Green Ember once, and my sister noted that Joel Clarkson's gravelly Helmer voice reminded her of Batman. I immediately agreed, and then proclaimed: "And Picket is Robin."
Speaking of LoTR, Garten Longtreader bears some similarity to Saruman, particularly in his "for the greater good" mentality of assisting evil.