Poll: Crossovers, Oh My

[thefourthvine]

Recently, I was moderately flabbergasted to come upon a Highlander x Yami no Matsuei crossover. I had one of those moments of staring blankly at the computer screen, trying to figure out if I had experienced a sudden linguistic disconnect, and maybe in this language "Highlander x Yami no Matsuei crossover" actually meant "now we all get cake" or something, because surely such a thing, defined as I understood it, was totally impossible.

And then I read it, and realized that, no, it isn't impossible, and I was forced once again to reflect on the fact that Highlander seems to be a fandom that is just very open to crossovers. I know that's partly because, hey, you've got 5,000 years of mostly unfilled Methos backstory, and who is to say he didn't pick up a young Christopher Keller in a gay bar? He could have! He could also have spent fifteen years traveling around with Doctor Who. I mean, it's not like he'd necessarily bring either of those things up in conversation. But also, just, the Highlander universe seems to be unusually smooshy - it is totally willing to cozy up to, maybe even move in with, other canons, as I'm reminded every time the HL newsletter comes out and most of the new stories are crossovers.

Naturally, I got to wondering: what other fandoms are particularly crossover-friendly? And that led, inevitably, to thoughts of those fandoms that are much, much harder to work into crossovers. Which led to thoughts of AUs, which in turn took me to a terrifying meta place, and Best Beloved had to come talk me down. "How about a poll?" she said. "Polls are fun! And, also, you can probably finish one before you fall asleep." (Whereas with actual meta - at the rate I'm currently finishing stuff, I'd have it ready for posting in, um, 2012 or thereabouts, assuming no delays for rain.)

So perhaps you would like to write my meta for me? I offer ticky boxes as incentive!

[Poll #1177790]

Comments

[giandujakiss.livejournal.com]

Anything where the characters live indefinite life spans or travel in time is very crossover friendly.

But Jesus Christ, Quantum Leap!! Sam could be anyone. You could rewrite every single episode of anything and say Sam was there.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I know nothing of Quantum Leap (although Best Beloved has just given me a briefing, but apparently she is still bitter about the ending). But it sounds like a fabulous crossover fandom for sure. (And you're so right about time travel and immortality - they practically beg for crossovers.)

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

Man, I love crossovers. In fact, I tend to take them as challenges - the crazier they appear, the more I want to be able to write them, and write them well. (See my O11/LotR idea in the poll.)

I think some universes are harder, but if you match them with a more porous 'verse, you can make it work. Or if you just do a sort of fusion/crossover, like putting the Winchesters 500 years in the future in the Firefly 'verse, or making them part of the Colonial Fleet on BSG, etc.

Also, it's harder to match up two 'verses with differing magical systems, but we've never let that stop us. Also, I can't believe I forgot X-Files. like HP and BtVS and SPN, X-Files is great for crossovers because all the weird stuff is supposed to be a secret, so you can always handwave stuff away as govt. conspiracy.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

You realize that if you don't now WRITE the O11/LotR story, I will never smile again. No pressure or anything. Just my whole happiness at stake.

I love crossovers, too, although it took me a while to get to that place, because I started in LotR fandom so virtually all the crossovers I read did not work at all.

And I actually had X-Files in the original version of this poll (curse LJ and its poll option limits!), but I thought it would probably be crossover-resistant, actually. *has learned something*

[pentapus.livejournal.com]

Ok, I just had to comment because it has long been my policy that Methos is THE crossover character. I mean, he could plausibly show up in almost any fandom. Bonus points if the story is told from the non-Methos point of view and if that POV passes through the story oblivious to Methos' less than mortal qualities. I have no idea about any other fandoms, but I have always dreamed happily of a world where methos crossovers were their own fandom. XD

[holli.livejournal.com]

I have had long and very pleasant conversations about how Methos, Jack Harkness, and various other long-lived folks should form some sort of club. Or at least make out a lot.

[norah.livejournal.com]

I am thinking longing thoughts about Balthier and Tharkay again now, damn you. I have NO TIME to write anymore, woe!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

MY SECRET PLAN IS WORKING. I AM PLEASED.

(Also, I have Appetite thoughts. FYI.)

[miss-porcupine.livejournal.com]

I tend to abhor crossovers, mostly because of Talking Dog Syndrome (it's not what he says, but that he says at all) -- crossovers tend to expend all of their energy on making the fandoms line up and have very little left over for the actual plot. The crossovers that I've liked are ones that match up the fandoms well and then get on with the business of the story in its own right.

Highlander/historical fiction can work for obvious reasons. Once upon a time, I read a nifty Sharpe/Methos story that involved a great deal of sitting around in pubs through the years.

Police/special agent procedurals mash up well with extra-normal activities. Supernatural has made it even easier by showing just how screwed up Sam and Dean look to the authorities, but there's also been SG-1/NCIS, which is the military version of the same pairing, but with added rules and regulations and bureaucracy.

Of course, I come from comics, where every few years or so DC and Marvel decide to invade each other's universe and wackiness ensues....

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I used to hate crossovers, but that was mostly because I started in a very crossover-resistant fandom, so I kind of decided they could never, ever work. But I have come around! Just, it has to be done well.

Highlander/historical fiction can work for obvious reasons.

Oh, totally, although many times that works so well it doesn't feel like a crossover at all.

Of course, I come from comics, where every few years or so DC and Marvel decide to invade each other's universe and wackiness ensues.

Crossovers are just one of the many things I think fandom handles better than creators. Although I love the idea of Amalgam Comics. Dark Claw, OMG! Sparrow! *swoons*

[holli.livejournal.com]

I am almost always skeptical of the kinds of crossovers where I'm expected to believe the characters have all been sharing a universe all along, and have just failed to notice-- I call them "Giles went to Hogwarts crossovers" because, well, if Giles had gone to Hogwarts, wouldn't he have mentioned it before this story? It takes a really, really deft hand to get me to like this sort of crossover. And usually it takes so much time to get the universes lined up that the story seems like a bit of an afterthought.

However, I am *extremely* fond of the swirly-portal-dumps-the-characters-somewhere style of crossover, or the ones where there's some perfunctory explanation at the start-- magic spell, lab accident, TARDIS-- and then they get on with the story. Also, fusions can be really neat-- where characters from one 'verse take up new roles in a new 'verse.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I am almost always skeptical of the kinds of crossovers where I'm expected to believe the characters have all been sharing a universe all along, and have just failed to notice

See, it works for me if, like, Jim and Blair have to liaise with some cops from Chicago, who turn out to be named Ray and Fraser. It's a lot harder if the worlds don't blend well, though - HP and Buffy would be a good example.

and then they get on with the story

The "for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, John Dorian is about to encounter Benton Fraser" style of crossover! I love those, though I think I love fusions best of all.

Obviously, I'm easy. At least when it comes to crossovers.

[malnpudl.livejournal.com]

Law enforcement shows tend to lend themselves very nicely to crossovers with many other present-time fandoms. Even supernatural shenanigans could come to the attention of the cops (of whatever flavor) and make for a natural crossover.

In fact, if anyone would like to write more NCIS crossovers, I'd thank them ever so kindly. *smiles winningly*

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

Yes, most procedurals make nice inoffensive xovers, mostly because you don't have to try to merge two mythologies.

But they tend to be temporally limited (i.e., how do you cross Professionals with Stargate, for example?). The best xovers in these terms are the immortal ones, vamps and immortals, and the time jumpers, the doctor and Sam :)

Plus, there are always little black dresses that easily slide into other fandoms and then there's always the crossover that you never thought would work and then it does (some of my favorites are Martha's TS/SG1/AtS epic where the mythologies actually mesh and Isis's smart HP/SGA one, where the Patronus comes in handy in the Pegasus galaxy :)

[stillane.livejournal.com]

I am kind of embarrassingly lacking in critical reading skills when it comes to crossovers. Provided the writing itself is above a remedial level and the characters have not taken a break to get high (unless, of course, they do that normally - yes, Entourage, I'm looking at you), I'll merrily skip into anything. Yes, this has ended tragically more than once. On the other hand, though... Methos! In space! Mwahaha.

Has Methos ever met Spike, I wonder? House on fire, indeed. *g*

My secret crossover wish of greatest fervency is not as crazy as the one I listed above, though. In my heart of hearts, I really just want a well done Good Omens/Supernatural outing, preferably one in which Sam and Adam commiserate on the whole Antichrist gig. Because it could be hilarious and bittersweet by turns. Yep. This would make my year.

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

This (http://henchgirl.livejournal.com/11208.html?style=mine) is a cute SPN/GO crossover where Adam gives Sam some instructions on being the Antichrist. It's not long enough, really, but it gets the idea across.

The SPN/GO xover I want involves Dean/Pepper shenanigans with a lot of comedy and all the tapes in the Impala ending up as Queen tapes.

One day I will remember to close my html tags. Sigh.

[feonixrift.livejournal.com]

Honestly, file that one under "amand_r can write anything".

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure Highlander x Yami no Matsuei breaks laws of the known universe, though. Do we know for sure that amand_r isn't a secret master of the universe or something?

[feonixrift.livejournal.com]

And oh dear... I have to change my answer, based on something someone else entered: Highlander / Princess Bride! Must be written!

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Highlander / Princess Bride! Must be written!

Oh, my poor poor brain. I should have known posting this poll would lead to my neurons screaming for mercy. (That said, I can kind of see how it would work, and...NO. NO.)

I have an appropriate icon!

[vass]

When I was about eight, I wrote 'The My Little Ponies Meet The Silver Brumby'. Even then, it was brain-breaking. "I am Thowra!"

My brain, having been given the task "generate improbably awful crossover scenarios," is having trouble disengaging.

Dykes To Watch Out For / Jane Austen
House MD / Sue Barton series of nurse novels
Trainspotting (which I haven't seen, but whatever) / Thomas The Tank Engine
Archie and Mehitabel / Yes, Minister
Poirot / Boston Legal
Nero Wolfe / The Naked Chef

For a more difficult parlour game, try thinking of a fandom that would *not* cross over with Torchwood, including the tenuous sort of Torchwood which is Jack Harkness's millennia of backstory all over time and space. (Would Jack fuck a Care Bear? Definitely. Would I read that fic? Yes, I would.) Even the notoriously difficult Lymond canon rolls over happily (as would Lymond himself. Well, maybe not *happily*, this is Lymond, after all. About 4200 pages of canon, and I think he's happy maybe for three of them.)

Re: I have an appropriate icon!

[dormouse-in-tea.livejournal.com]

House. . . Sue Barton . . . ow, that was my HEAD.

(aka - *applauds!*)

[paper-tzipporah.livejournal.com]

Do fandoms that are good for crossovers tend to be good for AUs (and ones bad for crossovers tend to be bad for AUs)?

Here's the thing: I think the Stargate universe is GREAT for crossovers with all sorts of things (my favorite being Buffyverse/SG-1, but then Buffy goes with EVERYTHING). And SGA is especially good for AUs -- there are TONS of brilliant AU SGA fics out there. And I'm fairly resistant to AUs, generally, even when they're done well. But I love a lot of SGA AUs.

Buffyverse, though. I mean, you can do Buffy crossovers with ANYTHING, and people DO. I spend a lot of time on Twisting the Hellmouth. EVERYTHING. Except my fandoms, which are nonexistent. But I've NEVER seen a Buffy AU that I liked. Ever.

So I don't think there's any correlation.

Also, for the people who think BSG doesn't make for good crossover material, I've read some GREAT BSG crossover/fusion fics. Just saying. In fact, I was just reading a BSG/Firefly fic the other day that was absolutely BRILLIANT.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

But I love a lot of SGA AUs.

I firmly believe that SGA is one of the most AU-friendly of all fandoms. It practically begs for AUs. And, sadly, I have a whole meta on why I think that is (and why other fandoms, like Oz, are so very resistant to AUs).

But I've NEVER seen a Buffy AU that I liked.

And this makes sense to me. If you take Rodney, John, Ronon, and Teyla out of their world, the characteristics you have to maintain for them to be themselves are all situation-independent: like, Rodney can still be totally himself if he's a 14th-century farmer or a Watcher or Q for James Bond (or a sock or a Girl Scout cookie). But Buffy - if she's not the Slayer anymore, who the hell is she? Someone I don't even recognize, usually.

So I don't think there's any correlation.

This was my conclusion as well, actually, and I was surprised to see that so many people disagreed with me. People! I am RIGHT! I may have to produce meta to argue my case, for fear that others will persist in being wrong on the internet!

In fact, I was just reading a BSG/Firefly fic the other day that was absolutely BRILLIANT.

Those are two of the fandoms that are the hardest to get if you don't know the canon at all. I've never managed to understand a single story in either. So I'm glad you found such a brilliant beast, but sad I can't demand a link to share in the joy.

[quillori.livejournal.com]

Long-lived or time traveling characters make the practical side of crossovers so easy the writer has plenty of energy to spare for hitting the right mood and themes. Generally, though, I don't think a practical match in location and date is as important (after all, AU is a possibility) as the two shows having a complementary 'feel', with thematic consistencies and fictional universes that work in much the same way - not so much in questions like 'does magic work' as what sort of behaviour counts as good and the way stories are likely to end. If they don't match like that, you either have to go for humour, or have one set of characters yanked from their proper setting in way that's frequently unsatisfactory. Of course, you don't need a perfect match - as long as the matching part is relevant to the story being told, and is a good enough match for each fandom that if it weren't a crossover it would fall within the acceptable limits of interpretation, it should work.

Mind you, I tend to assume most crossovers are quite possible, because I mostly only read crossovers by authors I know and trust.

[marginaliana]

the two shows having a complementary 'feel', with thematic consistencies and fictional universes that work in much the same way - not so much in questions like 'does magic work' as what sort of behaviour counts as good and the way stories are likely to end

Oh, now that's interesting, because I feel like I tend to be more interested in crossovers where there's either a) an unexpected congruence of atmosphere (like, I wouldn't have thought to say that the two fandoms were similar in that way until I read the fic) or b) a significant difference of atmosphere (wherein one side of the matchup faces a really foreign situation). If they fit too obviously together, I get bored.

[macadamanaity.livejournal.com]

shrieking_ell Wished for James Bond/Dr Who. Oddly enough, did so too, last month, and my friend apatheia_jane wrote it for me here (http://apatheia-jane.livejournal.com/262626.html). I love the internets.

I have a serious crossover problem. People pose unlikely crossovers at me and my brain latches on and won't let go. To date, I've done Angels in America/House, 30 Rock/Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Dark is Rising/M*A*S*H, Oceans 11/Harry Potter, and Oceans 11/Boston Legal. Sometimes I think there is something really quite wrong with my brain... ::sigh::

[gogoangelgunboy.livejournal.com]

the dark is rising x m*a*s*h? you may be my new hero.

[neonnurse.livejournal.com]

I came THIS CLOSE >< one time to writing a story where Snape falls afoul of a messed-up Portkey. He comes staggering up on a tropical beach, soaking wet and therefore about sixty times more pissed off than usual, severely startling a skinny, dopey Muggle in a white hat. Turns out he's not the only one who doesn't like being here and wants to get home. Plus one of the other six Muggles living on this island is also called Professor. Hijinks would probably have ensued.

[gogoangelgunboy.livejournal.com]

YES OH GOD YES.

Crossovers vs AUs in various fandoms

[strangerian.livejournal.com]

I should have answered that yes, fandoms good for crossovers are often good for AUs in a general way, but then there's all that insomnia and dropsy, and I have all of both that I can deal with already. Just so I can get some un-bloaty sleep:

Peering querulously at the listed fandoms with possible random additions as I type, I note that SGA and SG1 are cracktastic on the AUs, but seldom truly stellar on the crossovers (not counting with each other, or the more appropriate good-crossover fandoms like Who). I must insert here the usual caveat that a stellar writer can make anything happen, but we're talking about rules here, not the exceptions. Also exceptional would be choosing a crossover universe that meshes well with wormhole travel to distant galaxies where lived long-ago super-powered human-ish races -- such as Star Wars (though, oddly, I haven't seen any examples of that) or possibly the Lensman universe when Arisians were more active.

Similarly, but opposite, Methos or the Highlander himself make excellent crossovers with any historical *or* future universe, but I haven't seen many AUs (of the changed-background-universe sort) that seemed worthwhile. The only universes where a reasonable real-time crossover wouldn't work are fantasy and anime and the like. No doubt this could be done, but I haven't seen many of "Dunc'n, Bronze Rider of Pern!" sort of stories. Those could be as cracktastic as the SGA penguins, done right. *Is* there such a genre? And Methos could have lived through the Third Age of Middle Earth in his own sort-of-real-time, keeping his head down until all the magic bled out and the Western isles became Hawaii. Or the West Indies.

As I think some commenters have already said, shows set in 20-21st century police or similar backgrounds seem to take both AUs and crossovers pretty well. Given a slightly elastic timeline, they can often cross over with each other or with relics of historical universes. (Indiana Jones is *really* good for this trick.) In addition, when the background setting is so much a given to us the current viewers, it's more tempting to visualize the characters in some other reality, whether the stews of Betelgeuse VI, Heian Japan, or as talking azaleas in a hothouse.

Re: Crossovers vs AUs in various fandoms

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

insomnia and dropsy, and I have all of both that I can deal with already

*hears you on the dropsy*

*prefers comments anyway*

SGA and SG1 are cracktastic on the AUs, but seldom truly stellar on the crossovers

For me, SGA is the ultimate AU fandom; oddly, SG1 AUs don't often work very well for me, but the crossovers sometimes do. Truly, these are mysterious waters.

such as Star Wars (though, oddly, I haven't seen any examples of that)

There are some, though!

Similarly, but opposite, Methos or the Highlander himself make excellent crossovers with any historical *or* future universe, but I haven't seen many AUs (of the changed-background-universe sort)

One that's kind of both - have you read Dasha's Imperfections series? It's a TS AU (but still with sentinels), and in one of the earlier installments, the HL characters play a major part. I read that before I knew anything about HL, but I still think it works, and that's impressive, because they aren't immortals in that story - she made Duncan a sentinel, instead. And Ducan, in particular, is a character I have a hard time picturing outside his fandom, his universe, his millieu.

No doubt this could be done, but I haven't seen many of "Dunc'n, Bronze Rider of Pern!" sort of stories.

Yikes. Me neither. And I'm not sure I want to, although surely someone could write it and write it well. And, actually, his personality would fit in pretty well with a sort of classic dragonrider - he could be one of those who came forward in time.

*firmly wipes all thoughts of this from her brain*

And Methos could have lived through the Third Age of Middle Earth in his own sort-of-real-time, keeping his head down until all the magic bled out and the Western isles became Hawaii. Or the West Indies.

Someone actually wrote that in SGA, with John as an elf. (He has the ears.) It was really good. And if ever there were two fandoms *not* designed to mesh...

Indiana Jones is *really* good for this trick.

I. Um. Cannot quite picture this.

In addition, when the background setting is so much a given to us the current viewers, it's more tempting to visualize the characters in some other reality, whether the stews of Betelgeuse VI, Heian Japan, or as talking azaleas in a hothouse.

...And you have, of course, read the SGA one with John as a sunflower and Rodney as a tulip, right?

But, yeah, although I don't think it's necessarily the commonplaceness of the setting that makes the characters so transportable - I think it's how much the setting has to do with who the characters are. As I said to someone else, who is Buffy if she's not the Slayer? No one I recognize; her universe makes her who she is. Not so with, for example, Rodney McKay.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Obviously, good crossover universes are ones that are set in the real, contemporary world world but exist outside it - Buffy, Supernatural, SG-1, etc. (I omit Harry Potter because IMO, it's not set contemporarily.) Basically, they can all exist in the same world with minimum suspension of belief. But there are a lot of specific exceptions: Buffy/Supernatural is my worst-ever crossover, even though IMO they're both great crossover fandoms, because they deal with identical subject matter - the suspension of belief is too great. (This is a real shame, because Dean/Faith is so damn hot.) Some fandoms are only good crossover AU universes - to be crossed over with, they force another fandom to enter their own universe (DCU is a good example of this: DCU/Supernatural would be fun if superheroes were retconned into the SPNverse, and I have read truly brilliant DCU/House fic that does somewhat similar.)

Also, I think a certain blandness or similarity of text is required - this is why Buffy crossovers often don't work for me, because I usually feel like there is major tone clash.

Finally, good fusion or AU universes have completely different criteria, IMO. Good fusion and AU universes are shows or novels about a group of people working and/or living together, with clearly-outlined relationships (IE: boss, friend, co-worker, relation.) This is why SGA fusions and AUs are so inevitably brilliant - irregardless of scenario, the characters fit perfectly into preordained roles. Movie theatre AU? Elizabeth's the manager, Rodney works the projector, Ronon, John, and Teyla are ushers, Keller or Carson take the money, blah blah. House fusion? Elizabeth is Cuddy, Rodney is House, John is Wilson, etc etc etc etc.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

Buffy/Supernatural is my worst-ever crossover, even though IMO they're both great crossover fandoms, because they deal with identical subject matter - the suspension of belief is too great.

See, I've read a great SPN x Angel (Killa's), but the key there was that the story was fairly short and didn't look too super-closely at how the universes meshed. You could kind of ignore it. But in general, universes that cover the same territory (magic with Buffy and HP, for example, or vampires and the supernatural with Buffy and SPN) just make for a really tough mesh. You basically have to handwave it with the swirly portal thing, and then show the characters who got portaled adjusting to the new universe, and...yeah. Tough.

Finally, good fusion or AU universes have completely different criteria, IMO.

I agree with this, and was actually kind of astonished that the majority of poll-takers didn't. For me, the universe is the determining criterion of how well a show will work in crossover (and also, to a certain extent, tone, although I think the existence of successful, oh, Sports Night x Muppets stories shows you can make the tone thing work), but the characters' relationship to their universe is the determinant of how well an AU will work.

So, like, for me, SGA is the perfect AU because the characters are so independent of their context - there is nothing about Atlantis specifically that defines them.

[hyperfocused.livejournal.com]

As a writer, I find myself drawn to crossovers, especially as a means for dipping a toe into the water of a new-to-me fandom. Looking through my memories, I've got: Smallville/Everwood, Smallville/X-Files, Smallville/Harry Potter, Smallville/Everwood/The O,C, Smallville/The O.C, Smallville/Stargate SG1, Smallville/Sorority Boys, Sports Night/Everwood/Northern Exposure, Sports Night/Sorority Boys, Sports Night/Harry Potter, Sports Night/Sesame Street (that's the one you recced:) ),Sports Night/Northern Exposure, Sports Night/Numb3rs/Stargate Atlantis (which was also especially AU since half of the pairing was a character you only 'met' in canon through the lamentations of his surviving brother). SGA/Calvin and Hobbes, It helps that SGA, while science fiction, is set in contemporary times and references our culture. I think this makes it ripe for crossovers. Most recently, I did two Yuletide megacrossvers, one Northern Exposure mixed with ten different fandoms, and the other a cracked out advertising logo/character orgy with more product placement than your average WB show.

Hell, I'm very probably forgetting something, but you get the idea: I'm clearly addicted. And really, I would never say "X + Y fandom crossover will never work. The real issues are twofold. 1) Can the writer sell it plausibly, and 2) Will the writer have anyone to whom to sell it? (will readers know both/all fandoms?)I think also, there are differences between mixed show pairings, character walk ons, and moving characters from X show, to Y show's setting.

[esther-a.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, I remember the Calvin and Hobbes/SGA fic on Yuletide. I still can't quite decide if it is awesome or mentally scarring. It probably says something about how much time I spend on the internet that I'm more weirded out by the "possibly imaginary friend" part then the "furry" part.

[lynnmonster.livejournal.com]

CROSSOVERS.

*twitches with glee at the topic*

*imagines what, exactly, Princess Tutu ought to be crossed with*

[chibimuse.livejournal.com]

Leaving it open to the imagination seemed best, because that show has such a convenient crossover set up!

It's a town isolated from THE UNIVERSE (and thus all sense) and anyone who enters can be physically changed into an animal in order to work with the Tutu universe.

Plus it's got all that faerie-tale and Nutcracker/Swan Lake flavour added.

[ravenbell.livejournal.com]

Oooh, now I wanna change my last answer to Doctor Who x Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. There has to be a fic out there somewhere that has them swapping booths (and sidekicks). There's just *got* to be!

[cafenera.livejournal.com]

Good lord. How has this never occurred to me? I would die happy if I could read this!

[grey-bard.livejournal.com]

I can think of a lot of good for crossovers fandoms that are bad for AUs and vice versa. But also a lot where what's good for one is good for another and vice versa. To be honest, I don't think they're related one way or the other.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

I agree; I think the AU and the crossover susceptibility are independent variables, because one of them is about the characters and one is about the universe.

It would seem, however, that the majority of the poll takers don't agree.

*remains convinced she is right*

[ceteramisto.livejournal.com]

This post has given me some interesting ideas on the nature of crossovers, fusions, and AUs that I will have to thing about more. However, I will take the time to explain my two write in candidates.

For best crossoverable fandom I put in Roger Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber series. The basic idea is that Earth is but one of a many shadows cast by Amber the true world and that members of Amber's royal family may travel amongst these shadows by various means. Actually it ends up being more complicated than that, but thats the basic idea. In the companion guide book it is explicitly mentioned that it is possible to travel to a fictional world since everything exists out in shadow. In fact a crossover between Amber/X-Files gives me at least two, if not more, ways that Krycek manages to survive being killed.

My choice for crossover I most want to read is Smallville/Yu-Gi-Oh, which just edges out Smallville/Avatar only because Yu-Gi-Oh is more crossoverable than Avatar. Specifically I want to read a Lex/Yugi fic because I realized that Clark/Lex is the inverse of Yugi/Kaiba. Clark/Lex went from friends to enemies while Yugi/Kaiba went from enemies to friends. Lex and Kaiba have a lot in common, particularly father issues. Yugi and Clark have a lot of similarities, but it's their differences that really make me want to pair Lex and Yugi together. I just think Yugi would be really good for Lex.

(For Smallville/Avatar just replace Yugi/Kaiba with Aang/Zuko. I would love to read a Lex/Aang fic.)

[rhi]

::stares at that:: No. Really. You crossed Amber & X-Files? Is this online anywhere? If not, can I run with the idea sometime?

This got kind of long

[esther-a.livejournal.com]

Self contained fantasy worlds like Lord of the Rings or Avatar: The Last Airbender are probably the worst for crossovers, since you really can’t make them work except as fusion AU’s or swirly portal crossovers. You have some of the same problems with historical settings or well explored SF settings like the Vorkosigan series, although anything in the past or possible future allows for immortals and time travellers. legionseagle manages to pull off some Vorkosigan crossovers, but it’s tricky. Real world settings are easy enough to cross with each other or with secretly weird settings like Buffy orHarry Potter or Stargate, and you can cross SF and fantasy like Supernatural/SGA fairly easily, or but two different fantasy settings usually have clashing magic and depictions of mythical creatures, so they require a lot more work. I started reading joisbishmyoga’s Harry Potter/Yu Yu Hakusho crossover The Best Defense because I couldn’t imagine how you could make that work, but she did, mainly by taking advantage of the separation between England and Japan to postulate very different conditions and styles of magic.
The other difficulty with crossovers is tone. Something like Wodehouse or Carebears has a very distinct tone and that can be hard to make work. With Carebears it isn’t usually a problem since a lot of the appeal seems to be warping the source, like the infamous Yuletide Carebears fic or this crossover (http://community.livejournal.com/mollyscribbles/7942.html), but it would be really hard to do a Wodehouse crossover well.

Re: This got kind of long

[seadreamer.livejournal.com]

Another example of what I consider to be an excellent Vorkosigan crossover was done by AJ Hall in Ships That Pass, (http://www.stp.shoesforindustry.net/) from her Lust Over Pendle Universe. (http://www.lop.shoesforindustry.net/) Then again, I adore anything she writes, so maybe I'm a bit biased. ^_^

[gogoangelgunboy.livejournal.com]

dude. i love crossovers, but i'm seriously handicapped by the fact that i don't watch tv. my best so far is the astonishing pairing of henry wriothesley and jin from samcham.

and i'm STILL getting shit from my darcy x wickham.

[thefourthvine.livejournal.com]

i love crossovers, but i'm seriously handicapped by the fact that i don't watch tv.

I hear that. I mean, I still manage to read crossovers in TV show fandoms, but I never really feel like I'm getting the full benefit. And writing them, of course, is impossible.

It is a sad thing to be television ignorant in this day and age.

my best so far is the astonishing pairing of henry wriothesley and jin from samcham.

...I'm worried about you, now, for that pairing is surely a sign of the apocalypse. Also I'm worried about me, and my BRAIN, just trying to picture that.

[malnpudl.livejournal.com]

OH OH OH!!! I forgot one! Though it references one rather obscure C6D TV movie, so it may not resonate for everyone. But hey! Illustrated for your convenience! *winning smile*

Back in his peripatetic youth, Alexander Bresnyachuk (http://pics.livejournal.com/primroseburrows/pic/000gq9p4) (Paul Gross's character in Getting Married in Buffalo Jump) unknowingly fathered a second child -- one he never found out about -- when he had a brief but passionate liaison with a young American woman who was hitchhiking around Canada. They never even knew each other's last names. The baby was a boy, and his name was Jordan Catalano (http://www.all-pictures.org/celebrities/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=119285&g2_serialNumber=4) (Jared Leto's character in My So-Called Life).

Years later Jordan Catalano got Rayanne Graff pregnant, the result of a one-time drunken indiscretion. Rayanne gave the baby up for adoption, and he ended up in a small Texas town. His name is Tim Riggins (http://l.yimg.com/img.tv.yahoo.com/tv/us/img/site/36/36/0000043636_20071004105153.jpg) (Taylor Kitsch's character in Friday Night Lights).

THIS SO TOTALLY HAPPENED! And someone needs to write it for me! :-D

*polishes tinhat and adjusts it to jaunty angle*

[starfishchick]

Your brain, I adore it.