Keep Hoping Machine Running (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thefourthvine) wrote2008-04-25 08:14 pm
thefourthvine) wrote2008-04-25 08:14 pm
Entry tags:
Poll: Crossovers, Oh My
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]
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]
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
Yes, exactly! Some universes have... call it a porous quality, where the existence of stuff from other 'verses hasn't been *dis*proven and so can slide in comfortably. On the other hand, you have things like DCU-- the other half of a DCU crossover doesn't have any *room* around the acres of existing DCU mythology. Unless you swirly-portal it or do a fusiony AU thing.
That said, I would very much like a Firefly/DCU story where Inara's idiot rich-boy client keeps interrupting Mal's heist planning, and Mal comes to very much regret attempting a job on Gotham.
no subject
There's also the problem of a universe being referred to as fictional in another universe. There's a Harry Potter reference in Buffy, which for me kills of all possibility of crossovers, at least without some very deft explaining. Similarly, in Doctor Who there's a reference to the Doctor reading the HP novels.
no subject
no subject
Yes, I realize that this makes no sense, but in my head, the latter requires *much* more handwaving.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
One of the most canonically crossovery characters ever is Detective Jon Munch who has been shown on Homicide; The X-Files; Law and Order (original series and SVU, possibly others as well) and I know I'm missing at least one other show. (I've heard that if you follow the chain of official show crossovers you end up with a hospital drama, the last episode of which reveals the whole show to have been a fantasy of a child patient, thereby inadvertently making all the other shows by extension also his fantasy ;-)