Parodyverse Hall of Fame

It’s time for us to nominate the stories we’ve most enjoyed on the Parodyverse over the last 10 years. If possible include a repost or link to the story (most of the material is available in the archive by year at http://www.chillwater.org.uk/HH/archive/others/ ).

What you need to do is list for us:

1. A Favourite Story That You Wrote

2. A Favourite Story That Someone Else Wrote

3. A Forgotten Under-Rated Classic That People Might Have Overlooked

People could choose multi-part storylines if they choose, but if so please go for one definitive, representative chapter.

***

So, to kick off, here are my nominations:

Of my stories, one I quite enjoy is Untold Tales #200: The Feast of Yule and Other Anomalies, in which very nearly our entire cast spend Christmas at the home of Sir Mumphrey Wilton and interact. Sure, it leads into a bizarre murder mystery, but at the time I just had fun having everybody bounce off everybody else – in some cases literally.

In the “someone else” category I’ve gone for Untold Vignettes of the Post-Transworlds Challenge #4: Appraisals, by Visionary during his major “Caphan period”, in which the newly-arrived green-skinned alien slave girls settle down to living in Vizh’s condo. This features some prime Vizh humour but also has deeper thematic content that elevates it to literature; and also it has girls trying on bikinis.

And finally, for an “overlooked” story I’ve selected The Intermittent Adventures of De Brown Streak Giant-Sized #50: This Time With Lair Legion vs Botherhood of Evil Mutates and De Brown Streak’s Finest Three Nonoseconds!, DBS’ full last story for the PV, and a fine example of the “script” style of comedy writing that’s formed so much of the board’s memorable content. This one has it all – laughs, thrills, triumph, tragedy, and women in tight lace-up bustiers.

I hope you enjoy them.

HH

I think my best-written story, hands down, is "What Once Was Old Is New Again", which can be found http://www.chillwater.org.uk/HH/archive/others/2004/hatman%20-%20old%20is%20new.htm This was the story that broke up Hatman and Sorceress, which was a pretty major relationship in the Parodyverse at the time. I really felt like I captured the characters as people, not just superheroes.

I hope this isn't a cop-out, but I'm going to go with the Follies of Youth Epilogue. Follies was perhaps the greatest collaborative effort here at the board and the epilogue, featuring all (or most) of the writers who worked on the round robin, was threaded together seamlessly by Vizh. The story can be found here http://www.chillwater.org.uk/HH/archive/others/2005/follies%20epilogue.htm The writers who worked on this one were Visionary, the Hooded Hood, Killer Shrike, De Brown Streak, Dancer, and myself (I only wrote two small parts, so I hope this still counts!)

This almost isn't a fair question, since I can pick out stories I've loved from every author here.


I'm going to go with Dancer's "Far Away" series, and single out chapter 11, found http://www.chillwater.org.uk/HH/archive/others/2005/far%20away%2011.htm The entire series was brilliant, but the ending of this chapter just leaves you revved up and ready for more.

I could probably pick lots more for this category as well, from different authors, but I'll go with this one.

~Hat~

... Which are going to seem a bit biased on my own behalf.

> 1. A Favourite Story That You Wrote

It's a toss-up - either “Hey, It’s a Kind of Magic!” (Tie-In to Untold Revolutionary Tales of the Lair Legion #273: Of the People, By the People, For the People) or Gender Versus Genre: The Curtain Call of the CrazySugarFreakWedding!.

In both cases, I was proud of finally being able to bring long-running plots to pre-planned conclusions.

The latter was basically my meta-fictional tribute to female supporting characters in the superhero genre, as well as a rebuke of everything within the genre that conspires to reduce their roles. Getting all the fridged women to quote Pinhead in Hellraiser was fun, as was wrapping it up with a Rodney Dangerfield '80s teen sex comedy moment.

The former actually allowed me to answer quite a few questions about Dream's family, that had been around as long as his character himself had, as well as giving me a chance to take Dream himself to the next level, and for him to stare down gods in the process. The image of him facing off against cosmic powers, and flashing a "fuck you" smile at them through bloodstained teeth, remains one of his defining moments, to my mind.

> 2. A Favourite Story That Someone Else Wrote

Might as well split the vote on this one, too - Vizh's Rules, Fouls and Penalties-- The Conclusion and Shrike's Mr. Epitome #17, Part One, “Taking Liberties”

In both cases, the overall stories were great, and these just happen to be my favorite chapters of each arc.

With the latter, we get to see Dream and Epitome's Green-Arrow-versus-Hawkman split very sharply defined, albeit through a modern media lens, while other strong poster characters, such as Lisa Waltz and De Brown Streak, are woven into the story's themes of identity politics, as well as questions of how to define either civil or human rights in a world with mutants, superheroes and our own ethnicities. Shrike also does a great job of incorporating both my own non-poster characters - Anna Kensington as the black Iron (wo)Man, Kit Kipling as the British Captain America, and Karl Braun as the homegrown (and legal) Red Skull - and his own clever and inspired creations.

With the former, we get a lot of the same politically and philosophically charged themes and questions, but this time filtered through the additional lens of family. While it ends on an up note, there's a much muddier moral line, and Dream's almost feral protectiveness of his immediate and extended "family," both by blood and by choice, is acknowledged as being deeply dangerous, just as much as some of the attackers of the twins are actually shown as possessing some vestiges of humanity.

> 3. A Forgotten Under-Rated Classic That People Might Have Overlooked

Again, a tie vote - Shrike's Balls Out, Interlude and HH's Untold Tales of the Lair Legion #101: Black’s Crossing.

Epitome's attraction to April was unexpected, and something I wish I'd played with more, especially considering his animosity toward Dream. Like Grand Canyon, this is one of those rare stories that actually captures the surreal, flowing nature of dream-logic, and how sensible it all seems until you wake up.

I recall HH saying that the "Black's Crossing" trilogy was his nod to The Mothman Prophecies, and if so, then he succeeded very well, because I was reminded of The Mothman Prophecies right away by this story's isolated setting and eerie tone, which made it seem just slightly out-of-sync with reality. My only regret about this story is one which is no fault of the author's, since I kind of wished there had been a way to preserve more of the mystery, even into the conclusion, but such is the nature of these characters and their genre.

On the plus side, that's because considering it makes me go back and read all sorts of old stories, and then I read on to the next one, and the one after that, and I have a wonderful time.

Anyway, I'm going to start with an "overlooked" story, this one from Sarah: Dancer #31: The Superheroine Slumber Party. Truthfully, this is really just another outstandingly entertaining Dancer tale, but what really hooked me in my nostalgic mindset was seeing a story celebrating the fairer half of the Parodyverse's cast. Starring Dancer, Troia, Ziles, Sorceress, with nods to Cheryl and Lisa, and appearances by non-posting characters Lisette and Valeria, what more could one want in a "lost" classic?

I'll be back to answer the other two... I promise.

Well, this probably comes down to a tie between:

The Dying Philosopher and The Apostate Knight.

The first is probably my best single piece of work, which at the Time HH even described as my most Lovecraftian. It's not my only 1st Person Perspective story, but it is probably the best of them.

The second is my first (and ongoing) attempt at a full story. I was particularly attached to the first part, which originally included my first experiments with different colours. Again, HH encouraged me to expand it.

It is interesting that the two favourites are both "serious" stories rather than the PVMB work.


This is obviously very hard to call.

It would be a matter of great Happiness if I could name a complete story, but there are those who feel that the attempt would be, well, a little corny.

Likewise, the most creative method of doing a story (The Caphan chose-your-path adventure) has too many ties to me to count.

The attempt at a comic strip (Lair Legion: The Comic) doesn't really count since - awesome as it was - there was a distinct lack of visuals. Alas, Visionary was immune to persuasion.

I am almost tempted tp put forward Unidentified, where HH kept us waiting to the very end. Again.

Instead, I will nominate one of the group efforts that had a very interesting premise, but never really achieved its full potential: The Parodyverse Hundred Words Round Robin. An interesting variant on the round-robin.


I feel I should mention Jason's World Class stories. I never really got on with World Class, and have never really understood why. The stories were well designed, well written but alas not all that well recieved.

At the moment I have only the iPhone and unreliable dialup. Power is still out in much of the city and cable may be out as long as a month. I may be able to get DSL activated Thurs.

This is a hard quiz you know...


Night Nurse #1 because I love what Grace became as others built on it, and how it developed from a small scene in another story into that. I really like that aspect of the PVB. You know, how someone can casually say in the chat room that they think the PV lacks green skinned alien slave girls and BAM! a gaggle of Caphans at your service - and no looking back. (Who was that someone? )


Too too many to choose from!

I love KS' stuff with Al B. and the EEE crew - unfortunatley the board seems to have deleted them. I had the links saved but all they link to now is a 404 error.

And any art by Visionary. Here's one I found earlier:




Bah - I can't choose one!

A stand out was Dancer's story that introduced Kat Allen on that alien world, she blew us all away with that one. I'm sure it's not overlooked though...so...hmm...I'll have to ponder some more...

Al B.

It's still there - the naming conventions changed slightly after a couple of attacks (I believe Jason switched us to another domain).

If you post the links I can have a look at them (I did a simillar bulk job for HH), and Jason can robably give you the full details in any case.

The Show Must Go On - it was the hardest thing for me to write but I felt so much better when I posted it.


I don't know if its fair to pick, but lets say Vizh's Christman Story. it's a classic.


IW doesnt usually get overlooked, but I really liked the romantic Mumph WW2 story and thats kind of forgotten, so lats say the issue where Mumph and Miss C are escaping on a train and she's mopping up his wounds. I love me all that romantic stuff

This is an outstanding and touching story, by the way, really one of the highlights of the history of the board.



I think this will work... A Parodyverse Christmas. And it's actually my choice for favorite story that I wrote as well... Not because it's necessarily the best, but rather because I think it really captured a feeling that existed at the time with the board. I remember many of us going away for the holiday, and really missing the Parodyverse... So much so that people were really upset when the board was shut down for a couple of days while Zemo wasn't around to moderate it over Christmas itself, and NTU had to set up a temp board so we all could still get together. There was a real sense of online community, and I think the friends and family theme of the Christmas story is a nice capper to the first 4 months of the Parodyverse that created that feeling.

At the moment, I would probably say Final Strike 1, though I promise at least part of FS 2 is sitting on my hard drive, waiting to be finished.

Andy's Evil Monkey story, just because it was so atypical of things he generally writes.
>

I do not particularly remember the title, or anything, but it was by Mark, and it involved spiffy, Yo, DK, and a birthday party, and Yo smashed cake in DK's face in a good-natured way while he said "I hate everything"--it's just always stuck out as one of the best comedic scenes in the history of the board, to me.

Though that's gotta pay hell with kevlar cleaning bills.
>

I'm generally highly critical of anything I've already written. So I guess my favorite is always the one I haven't finished yet.



Anything by Visionary, he has a very good storytelling style. And KS's patented Lame Villains are great.



The Chad & Ronnie stories.



Sorry I don't have more definite answers, but the problem is we're getting better and better, so I believe the best stories are still to come.

I was going back through my back catalogue & that was a bad thing. I guess I remembered them better then they actually were. Seeing had badly they were done was kind of depressing. Even the stuff that I thought were really well done wasn't.


I was trying to come up with something but my mind just wasn't latching on to anything, no one true story. I guess if I was to put something down: My favorite thing anyone has ever written is anytime anyone has used my stuff in their own works. I remember the first time Ian ever wrote the MPL into an Untold Tales: it was like a hundred times better then anything I had done before with it. Anytime Ian touches something I've done they become way better. Another story is when JJJ wrote Baron Otto having lunch with Chad & Ronnie, that was good.


Spaztic Chyld's Indiana Gnome & Gunthar. I think that's how you spelt spelt Gunthar's name. SC didn't a whole lot os those stories but it was an interesting idea & it was different then his other stuff.

Thanks for the mention. But why do you think they are forgotten/under-rated/overlooked? I also not sure how "classic" they are.

They're absolutely classic. They capture the essence of the Parodyverse...and insanity.

Underrated because I don't think as many people read it as should.

Sweet man - here they are: Al B. and Shrike

Part 1: http://www.mangacool.net/php/show.php?msg=parodyverse-20070115053148 by KS

Part 2: http://www.mangacool.net/php/show.php?rpy=parodyverse-20070115100055 by Al

Part 4: http://www.mangacool.net/php/show.php?msg=parodyverse-20070227185601 by KS

Part 5: http://www.mangacool.net/php/show.php?msg=parodyverse-20070309193812 by KS

Conclusion: http://www.mangacool.net/php/show.php?msg=parodyverse-20070513223611 by KS


If it's not too difficult or time consuming I'd be grateful for your assistance.

Cheers.

Al B.

I remember that! It was very good.


Oh yeah - that is what I was thinking of too.

Al B.

> or Gender Versus Genre: The Curtain Call of the CrazySugarFreakWedding!.

Yes, that was a good one, and so were all your other picks damnit - now I'm rethinking all my own!

Al B. (in the "other" Washington)

nt

*makes a note of the links and plans to go read some of the other stuff there later*


And if you had to choose a PVB work?




Dang! I'd never read that before! Good work Ian.

Al B.

Yes - if anyone can please help in tracking this link down so I can make sure I've read it I'll be happy (it sounds familar but my memory is bad)



I was tossing between nominating a Mumph story or the one by you I went with in my reply to this question too. It's no secret that I enjoy everything about Mumph stories - and as I read them all together later (I don't think I was around or paying much attention as I should have at the time they were posted) I can recommend people go find and read them!

Al B.

It sure does sound like it would have been a fun story.

Al B.

Go on - you must have something that sticks in your mind though?

If I had to choose - I'd go with some of the early Chiaki stories - or most anything with Yuki in them.


I'd agree with that! On both counts (and now I know some of Visionary's "Secrets to writing a BZL story" (TM)).

Al B.

Oh you're as bad as Jase!

How about some of your FMRC work?

Al B.

So?


Some of it was good but my feelings toward the project have tainted any feeling towards the story that it may have contained.

http://www.chillwater.org.uk/HH/archive/others/2004/dancer%20-%20the%20show.htm

Links corrected above: Essentially, the difference is that www.mangacool.net becomes mangacool.com

It's in the nature of these things that you don't know quite where to start. Nevertheless, here goes.


I'm awful for getting bogged down halfway through a story, sitting on it for ages then rushing things for the sake of getting it over with. This means there's precious little of my own writing I can happily re-read without wanting to make sweeping changes. Still like this though.


This was really tough, and I'm not going to start listing all the stories and entire series I considered. But there can be only one and it's FALL Annual 2003. It's the scale, it's the characters, it's the building on established continuity, it's the turn of phrase. Go and read that thing.


Vizh's prospectus is a quality piece hewn from the very finest in-joke and inlaid with pure gag. Wonderful.