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Writing fanfic with established DC/Marvel characters, or creating your own characters?
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quote:
Originally posted by DuplicateMan:
Writing fanfic with established DC/Marvel characters, or creating your own characters?
Both.
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Me too. Huzzah for porn!
I made my feelings plain on fan fic in my View column. I don't like it, and question the reasons why people write it. I suspect that many people write it in the hope of becoming a Devin Grayson - making the transition from fan fic to writer. Grayson was the only person, however, to my knowledge who managed this transition. Fan fic writers need to realise that editors don't read fan fic. The fact I used to write it is my secret shame.
Writing fiction without established characters, however, is not fan fic - it is entirely acceptable and should be applauded.
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Devin had big hooters though...
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quote:
Originally posted by DuplicateMan:
Writing fanfic with established DC/Marvel characters, or creating your own characters?
I admit, I write a lot of fan-fic. It's all in fun, and I have a good time goofing around with it. But I don't do it in the hopes of advancing a career or anything. It's just my way of having fun with the characters I love.
My stuff with original characters? That's the serious fiction I intend to publish. That's all there is to it.
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DC/Marvel AND Anime. I wrote a couple, NOW I CAN'T GET A HOLD OF EM'!! ![[AAAHHHH!!!]](graemlins/aahhh.gif)
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I've done a couple of fan fics for writing contests through the webzine that used to be hosted at Fanzing.com under the pseudonym of "Ed Buckler". Both of them featured Plastic Man (which was dangerous, as editor Michael Hutchison was as big a proponent of Elongated Man as I am of Plas) and neither were really all that good. Basically, the biggest complaint about my work was that I didn't pay close enough attention to DC continuity for the other writers. See, I don't consider myself a "true" fanboy. I'm not "in tune" with the intricacies of continuity so much as I am with wanting to write a decent story. In one of my stories, I had two characters breaking into a Maxwell Lord-owned building to steal an Eclipso gem. Matthew Hagen (Clayface) was also featured in the story. The biggest complaint? Not the story itself so much as the fact that both Lord and Hagen were dead. Did I know that? No. Did I care? Not in the least. It made for the story I wanted to write. (Needless to say, I didn't win many awards...) However, up until a couple weeks ago, I'd been writing with the fine gentlemen (and lady) over at Hero Headquarters v. 2.0 here on Rob's Boards since we were known as the MBL over at the DCMBs. It was a lot of fun, and helped me to develop a particular writing style. Working with characters that we created ourselves, we were able to control the characters' origins and influences, rather than having to rely on someone else's preconceived notions. I've passed on since then, but am still attempting to apply the lessons I've learned on those boards. On occasion, I do post Comic Book Fights here on the Comics forum at RKMBs, but, admittedly, do stop before the real action starts. My current project, however, which is taking most of my writing attention, is FRINGE Comics, which I started over at Captain Sammtich's Message Boards (in a thinly veiled attempt to expand his clientele - hasn't rally worked so far). I consider this to be an incredibly unique opportunity to write for no one but myself and to get out ideas that have been stuck in my head for a while. I'm no longer tied to a group style of writing (though it does have its advantages and disadvantages) and am focusing on characters and concepts that are entirely my own. I have ultimate artistic freedom over at FRINGE, and it feels good. If you should feel so inclined, feel free to shoot on over and give it a look-see. There's only one story running right now, but more will come at some point. You can put down some feedback in Sammitch's "Fanfic Central" forum. I'd be glad to read it. But, in answer to the original question, I prefer writing fiction featuring my own creations and concepts than ones using pre-existing characters. Not enough freedom for my liking...
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I have always believed that fanfictions are great practice for aspiring writers. But as with any skill, it's pretty lame if you're going to limit yourself to one mode of practice; ie. fanficcing. BTW, I am a fan of erotic fanfictions, and this is the best I've read so far 
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quote:
Originally posted by Pig Iron:
Devin had big hooters though...
I didn't know that!
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I'm googling for pics right now.
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GODDAMN! I can't find any. But I found her official website, though. Hey, if there's anybody in this thread who becomes a writer someday, I hope you show pictures of your hoohas for us, okay? Even Timetrust. Actually, Specially if it's Timetrust.
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I said "Bah!" because I thought the question "Which do you prefer?" was referring to paper or plastic, to which I had already prepared an elaborate answer. ![[...rassamnfrackin...]](graemlins/grumble01.gif)
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I'm willing to show my hoohas anytime, anywhere. You can quote me on that. In fact, they're posted on Tit-Rater right now!
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Great! Now comes the second phase of my masterplan: Create a device that will switch yours and Devin's brains.
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I write some hawkgirl fics...I really have no wish to go into the comic book industry, so its all for fun. I like asking 'What if?' There are a whole bunch of other girls (the 'Hawksisters') and we all critique each other's work. It's fun. I'm Artemis Hawk at www.fanfiction.netI'm JMAngelo at www.jlanimated.comThe fics are the same, but the jlanimated.com ones are illustrated.
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"Yeah, Dave." ![[nyah hah]](images/icons/tongue.gif) I used to write a bit of fanfic myself, among a group of other fanfic writers working with the Pre-Crisis DCU "playground," and not one of them was writing fanfic with the hopes of breaking into comic-writing. It was done for fun and as an end to itself. The only fanficcers I've ever seen who hope to break into comic writing through their fanfic tend to be the very young and very naive. They're certainly the minority in my experience. As I found that I enjoyed writing the characters I created myself much more, though, and I found that I really HATED writing super-heroes, I finally decided to quit fanfic a few months ago. Now I write exclusively with my own characters except for those in collaborative stories which require at least some writing of other people's characters and their interactions with my own. In the long run, I've found it more satisfying to write. Superheroes don't interest me much except as an occasional novelty. If I ever do write fanfic again, it'll probably be with a character like Swamp Thing, who hasn't been seen in a while in his own magazine, or the original Challengers of the Unknown, or the Blackhawks, et cetera -- all characters who aren't being published any longer and who I miss. It's never occurred to me to write stories based on characters that are still regularly published -- what's the point???
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Batman gasped as Spiderman's cock bulged through his tight costume, stretching the red-webbed fabric until it was almost see-through.
"Now I know why you still wear spandex," He said
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quote:
Originally posted by Chewy Walrus:
See, I don't consider myself a "true" fanboy. I'm not "in tune" with the intricacies of continuity so much as I am with wanting to write a decent story. In one of my stories, I had two characters breaking into a Maxwell Lord-owned building to steal an Eclipso gem. Matthew Hagen (Clayface) was also featured in the story. The biggest complaint? Not the story itself so much as the fact that both Lord and Hagen were dead. Did I know that? No. Did I care? Not in the least. It made for the story I wanted to write. (Needless to say, I didn't win many awards...)
I think it's sad that there's people out there who worry more about continuity than actually giving creators a chance to tell a good story....
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I tend to agree with Chewy. If I'm working with my own creations, I'm in full control. I don't have to worry about whether Superman is acting out of character. MY hero is IN character! I should know since I created him/her/it.
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quote:
Originally posted by I'm Not Mister Mxypltk:
quote:
Originally posted by Chewy Walrus:
See, I don't consider myself a "true" fanboy. I'm not "in tune" with the intricacies of continuity so much as I am with wanting to write a decent story. In one of my stories, I had two characters breaking into a Maxwell Lord-owned building to steal an Eclipso gem. Matthew Hagen (Clayface) was also featured in the story. The biggest complaint? Not the story itself so much as the fact that both Lord and Hagen were dead. Did I know that? No. Did I care? Not in the least. It made for the story I wanted to write. (Needless to say, I didn't win many awards...)
I think it's sad that there's people out there who worry more about continuity than actually giving creators a chance to tell a good story....
Well, I'm in favor of continuity, but who says Chewy's story wasn't set when both characters were still alive?
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Then it wouldn't be a problem and the others wouldn't have bitched. But then again I know some continuity freaks who would find a way to get upset even then...
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quote:
Originally posted by I'm Not Mister Mxypltk:
Then it wouldn't be a problem and the others wouldn't have bitched. But then again I know some continuity freaks who would find a way to get upset even then...
Here's a tip:
When you write stories that stay on your hd forever then you're writing them for yourself.
When you write stories that are meant to be published you're writing them for an audience. That means leave the ego at the door, which is what many comic book writers tend to forget.
In the case of fan fic, though, I... almost agree with you. Fan fic is done by the writer for the writer. If others read it then good, if they don't, then it's good too.
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See, I've never written "fanfic" proper. While I would like to write in comics, I have no desire to work on other people's characters (not that I don't enjoy a lot of established characters, I just don't feel I have anything to say with them). I started writing at HHQ mainly to work on my writing skills. Do I think anything I've written here will get me a job? Not directly, no. But it does give me a chance to improve my skills and interact with other writers and get feedback.
And yes, Devin Grayson has large breastesses. Met her in person once, she was very sweet. Seems like I remember reading that she had all pics of herself taken off her site. Something to do with negative treatment online and such.
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*sniff!* Thass boobiful, man.
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Boobariffic ![[wink]](images/icons/wink.gif)
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I have a grudge against Devin Grayson. She was just starting to break in when I was in-house. We had a couple phone calls. We did a couple online chats. She was incredibly nice -- very humble, very pleasant. She was one of the few creators I was looking forward to meeting in person in Chicago.
So when we get to Chicago, I go up and introduce myself. She walked away from me as I was talking to her. It was high school all over again. But by then she was Devin Grayson.
I felt so used. And we hadn't even had sex.
As an odd follow-up to this, about a year later, I got an email from Mark Waid and Devin, inviting me to their house-warming party. I politely declined. That'll show 'em, I thought.
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This is why you are my friend, Marc. I feel your pain.
But if I were you I would have torn the sleeves off my shirt and removed my glasses to reveal a handsome and sexy man underneath the nerdish exterior. That never fails to snag chicks - as has been documented by countless 80s movies.
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quote:
Originally posted by ManofTheAtom:
Here's a tip:
When you write stories that stay on your hd forever then you're writing them for yourself.
When you write stories that are meant to be published you're writing them for an audience. That means leave the ego at the door, which is what many comic book writers tend to forget.
In the case of fan fic, though, I... almost agree with you. Fan fic is done by the writer for the writer. If others read it then good, if they don't, then it's good too.
So writers aren't allowed to be writers if they're using an alredy existing character and getting published? They suddenly become machines that don't care about anything but moving continuity forward? That's not a writer. If a writer follows a strict continuity, like Geoff Johns in JSA and Mark Waid in Flash, it's because they choose to do so. You talk about "ego" in the negative sense of the word, but what you suggest implies leaving the possitive side of the writer's ego behind as well, that is, what makes him do unique stories and not lame every day crap that gets sold simply because it's cover includes the name of a famous character or a couple of enormous tits (male or female).
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quote:
Originally posted by Neilencio:
This is why you are my friend, Marc. I feel your pain.
But if I were you I would have torn the sleeves off my shirt and removed my glasses to reveal a handsome and sexy man underneath the nerdish exterior. That never fails to snag chicks - as has been documented by countless 80s movies.
Good tip, Neilencio. I'll give it a try. Personally, I find that saying things like "Give me some sugar, baby," are irresistable to the ladies.
quote:
Originally posted by TK-069:
Is Waid still with her?
Dunno. I think so.
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quote:
Originally posted by I'm Not Mister Mxypltk:
So writers aren't allowed to be writers if they're using an alredy existing character and getting published? They suddenly become machines that don't care about anything but moving continuity forward? That's not a writer. If a writer follows a strict continuity, like Geoff Johns in JSA and Mark Waid in Flash, it's because they choose to do so. You talk about "ego" in the negative sense of the word, but what you suggest implies leaving the possitive side of the writer's ego behind as well, that is, what makes him do unique stories and not lame every day crap that gets sold simply because it's cover includes the name of a famous character or a couple of enormous tits (male or female).
I'm talking about ego in the sense that a writer who for example may think that certain characters who are related to each other may want to fuck each other and actually makes plans to writ that...
This kind of writer has to understand that he's working on a book that's going to be read by an audience made up of both new and old readers who know the characters in question better than the writer himself.
In fan fic the writer would be able to do whatever the hell he wanted to do because the fan fic is for him and him alone and if anyone else wants to read it then they can, and if they want to have an opinion on it they can too, but that opinion won't affect the writer in any way since it's fan fic, which is his story and no one elses.
In comics a writer has to pick his battles.
He can choose to write the above example/metaphor and maybe even get away with it thanks to popularity and being friends with the editor but, since this is something aimed at an audience, the audience's reaction may end up costing the writer his job.
Using a less extreme example:
Say a writer wants to do a story that teams up two characters that are supposed to be dead and one writer that, for some reason or another, would never be seen alongside these characters.
The story may be awesome, the story may be great. It could be the best rendition of either of the three characters that has ever been put down on paper... if the audience doesn't like it and their reaction is extremely negative then that would end up costing the writer his job, regardless of how good he may be.
It happens all the time.
It happened to Larry Hama on Batman, to J.M. DeMatties on Adventures of Superman, to Chris Claremont on both X-Men titles and it's probably happened to many others.
Some people think the above three writers suck but to others they are good writers... the problem is that, clearly, those that think they are good writers are in the minority which is why those three writers were taken off their books and replaced with more popular (but not necessarily) better writers.
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I intend to start writing fan-fiction involving thinly diguised versions of comic book creators and editors.
Watch out for Marvel Cum Orgy where one unlucky writer gets a lesson in inking.
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quote:
Originally posted by ManofTheAtom:
I'm talking about ego in the sense that a writer who for example may think that certain characters who are related to each other may want to fuck each other and actually makes plans to writ that...
How is that ego?
You've mentioned this example several times. When did it happen? How do you know about it?
quote:
Originally posted by ManofTheAtom:
This kind of writer has to understand that he's working on a book that's going to be read by an audience made up of both new and old readers who know the characters in question better than the writer himself.
These are not real people. If someone's being written by a writer then, like it or not, the writer knows how the character is thinking better than anyone else. He has to, otherwise he wouldn't be a writer and the comic wouldn't really be a worthy story.
quote:
Originally posted by ManofTheAtom:
In fan fic the writer would be able to do whatever the hell he wanted to do because the fan fic is for him and him alone and if anyone else wants to read it then they can, and if they want to have an opinion on it they can too, but that opinion won't affect the writer in any way since it's fan fic, which is his story and no one elses.
In comics a writer has to pick his battles.
He can choose to write the above example/metaphor and maybe even get away with it thanks to popularity and being friends with the editor but, since this is something aimed at an audience, the audience's reaction may end up costing the writer his job.
I agree that you need some public in your side if you're getting published, but that doesn't mean it's all one big popularity contest where the only purpose is getting people to buy the comics. If that was the case, then every cover would be filled with tight spandex and big breasts. This isn't entirely about the reader like you say, just like it isn't entirely about the writer. It's about telling a good story that pleases both the writer and the reader (though not EVERY reader, that's impossible) without being stopped by unnecessary anal retentive imaginary decades old rules.
quote:
Originally posted by ManofTheAtom:
Using a less extreme example:
Say a writer wants to do a story that teams up two characters that are supposed to be dead and one writer that, for some reason or another, would never be seen alongside these characters.
The story may be awesome, the story may be great. It could be the best rendition of either of the three characters that has ever been put down on paper... if the audience doesn't like it and their reaction is extremely negative then that would end up costing the writer his job, regardless of how good he may be.
It happens all the time.
What you just said is that that specific sector of an audience doesn't want good stories. In fact, they don't even appreciate a good story. All they want is a monthly or weekly addition to an ongoing series, nothing else. In that case, you can have 32 pages of The Bat-Man sitting in a couch and that's gonna keep that sector of the audience happy, as long as it doesn't contradict the way The Bat-Man sits (established in Detective Comics #357,6 page three panel four caption box one line seven).
If a writer makes an awesome story like you said, but he gets fired becuase an audience doesn't like that he didn't respect some unnecessary anal retentive imaginary decades old rules, then that audience doesn't deserve the writer, what they deserve is exactly what they get: to be robbed by a company that "makes" them buy comics they don't even enjoy, but that they "have" to buy because of a logo.
quote:
Originally posted by ManofTheAtom:
It happened to Larry Hama on Batman, to J.M. DeMatties on Adventures of Superman, to Chris Claremont on both X-Men titles and it's probably happened to many others.
Some people think the above three writers suck but to others they are good writers... the problem is that, clearly, those that think they are good writers are in the minority which is why those three writers were taken off their books and replaced with more popular (but not necessarily) better writers.
I don't know anything about those cases, but if the majority of the audience thinks they can't write because they don't follow unnecessary anal retentive imaginary decades old rules, then that audience is wrong. If a writer makes sucky stories then he sucks. If a writer can't follow unnecessary anal retentive imaginary decades old rules then he's a writer who can't follow unnecessary anal retentive imaginary decades old rules, which isn't a bad thing, but (apparently) isn't gonna get him much money in the mainstream superhero business.
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I never quite understood why everyone ripped on Claremonts X-Men books. They weren't that bad. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the "Oh no! Dr. Reyes is hooked on drugs!" issues. And I really didn't understand why everyone got in an uproar over the new leather uniforms when Grant took over. Change doesn't hurt a title, stagnation does. Want proof? look at Superman.
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