The Crossover Begins!

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First, I'd like to offer my apologies to anyone who doesn't like superheroes or the Retcon universe for the utter spam of stories of late as I've built up to this, my first attempt at a real Retcon crossover storyline.

Sure, we've had cameos and brief crossings before now, but this is the big one I'd been leading up to for some time now. It's probably the most ambitious thing I've ever done as a writer, and the concept terrifies me. My Muse, however, remains confident (and crazy) as she eternally stands between me and sleep.

Some have said that the Retcon universe isn't original. To which I say, ha! Sure, maybe the characters are inspired by those found in the 'funny books', but I've done my level best to make them as unique, different, and awesome as I could, while still trying to stay true to the concept. Your mileage may vary, of course.

I haven't been writing very long; it hasn't even been a year since I started writing fanfiction (and original fiction disguised as fanfiction) for the Whateley Universe. There are writers who frequent this site that, quite simply, intimidate the hell out of me. And it's not just experience, some of the authors here are so beloved that I think they could post a single word and get at least a dozen kudos for it!

And then of course, there's Erin, who blew me totally away with her Power Girl story arc; and it's barely even begun! Regardless of what you may think of it, the thing just oozes with a level of professionalism I doubt I'll ever have.

I know my weaknesses as a writer; I tend to be minimalist with my prose and descriptions, and I use way too much dialog. This would be fine I suppose for a script, but it leaves a lot to be desired as a story.

And yet, so many of you have made me feel welcome. And any time I post a story, and come back a few hours later to see a hundred hits, I know that there's at least that many people willing to give me a chance.

And when I come back after work to find a stack of kudos, well, it warms my black heart. I know I pale in comparison to Maggie and Lilith, but it feels good to be a part of something I feel is pretty special.

And extra special thanks to Lilith, btw, for not only coming up with this idea, but trusting me enough to let me be a canon writer.

So even if I don't get any better in the near future, I'm going to stick to my strengths. Pop culture, memes, carefully researched references only a handful of readers will get, and characters that are as real as I can craft them to be. Oh, and my massive insomnia-inspired outflow. : )

Again, sorry if it's not to your taste. But really, this isn't the silly four-color fare you might be expecting. If it helps, just forget the names and the references; there's really some amazing stories being written for Retcon (not by me!) that I think deserve a chance to shine.

Ok, you can proceed to tell me what a horrible person I am now. ^-^

Comments

Nope, Love ya!

Hey, I know Retcon ain't everybody's cup of tea, but there is no one forcing anyone to read a story. Write what's in yer heart. Nah, maybe you should just stick with the brain stuff, like everybody else.

LIGHTEN UP, PEOPLE!

I like the Retcon stories. The different authors make things interesting. I've been waitin' for this crossover, Bring It On!

Wren

Retconitis

laika's picture

I poke a bit of fun at the Comics Retcon craze in some of my comment, but it's more good natured teasing than seeing these stories as any sort of "problem" that I wish would go away. I think what this trend represents is an influx of new blood, younger writers and readers coming in from a generation that's way more into comics than the folks who were at BCTS when I first got here. Which seems like it has to be a healthy thing for the site, as opposed to everything staying static, the same sorts of stories being written over and over by a dwindling pool of us gray-haired old broads...

A lot of the superhero stories feature characters that I dont know about, so I wont be reading most of them, but the ones featuring the three (so far) characters/plot arcs that I've found myself following have been very entertaining, with a surprising amount of emotional depth to the characters, given their emphasis on action and weird transformations. These retcon stories tend to have a positive focus, on triumphing over adversity and finding a meaningful place & a sense of purpose in the world. Nothing spells trangendered female empowerment like being able to shoot laser beams out of your eyeballs!
~~hugs, Laika

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Oh, and I'm writing what for me is the ultimate comics crossover story- MR NATURAL (a comics hero that I grew up with...) vs. the SPELLS R US Wizard. Seems an obvious meeting since they look so much the same. I think I might also put Professor Dumbledore in there too, I haven't decided yet...

It's actually very

Jemima Tychonaut's picture

It's actually very refreshing to see someone with such great enthusiasm for their writing. I've not kept up with a lot of the retcon (more of a time issue than anything as I do like superhero stories) but for the reasons Laika set out I generally see it as a very positive thing. It's also been nice to see more established writers tackle the stories of the retcon and centre universes as well as a cluster of new writers coming through.



"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

A request =D

So Lynceus, would you be willing to give us a 'reading-order' rundown of your retcon stories??? They seem to interweave pretty heavily and I'd love to know where to bounce when while reading!

-SB

The best stories are about character change.

"So, a dime, a nickle and a penny walk into a bar..."

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