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
To me the easiest of crossovers to believe in are where one of the 'verses has an element of 'our lives are secret from the rest of society' ie hunters in the SPN verse, demons in BTVS, aliens in Stargate and TW etc. I think it is possible to create a crossover plot when any of these are crossed with a non secret contemporary universe. Where it gets difficult imho, is when you try and mesh two secret worlds. While the idea of Dean and Faith is scorching hot, the shows have built up two completely different mythologies so unless you go down the portal route there will need to be a lot of explanation as to why demons, vampires, magic etc are so different. Probably the first crossover I read was a BTVS/HP crossover (they were the 2 fandoms I were active in at the time) it's a hugely popular crossover but demands a major suspension of disbelief. Some authors can pull it off, most cant. Likewise while I am a DW/TW fangirl, given the public alien invasions of London every Christmas I find it difficult to get in to a story where the Stargate programme after running for 10 years only just discovers the existence of the Dr, Jack, TW etc. Of course, this doesn't stop me reading them : )