LNH/META: What are the LNH's Ages?
Arthur Spitzer
arspitzer at earthlink.net
Tue Apr 3 19:53:09 PDT 2007
Okay here it goes...
My thoughts about the LNH Ages
Feel free to disagree...
The Platinum Age -- Spring 1992 to Summer 1992
(Or the Stone Age or Chaos Age or Pre-alt.comics.lnh Age)
This would be the age where everything gets started. It begins of
course with the birth of the LNH and ends when the whole Cosmic Plot
Device cascade winds down. And possibly it ends when Cry.Sig starts.
Or when the alt.comics.lnh newsgroup is created. A lot of the important
Public Domain type characters were created in this era. This was the
age before all of the FAQs and rules came to be. Very, very loose
continuity. Some of the mythos like the Ring of Retconn would come from
this era, but a lot of the characterization of the LNH would be revamped
in the next age.
Character that Defines this Age: Marvel_Zombie Lad (or Boy)
The Golden Age -- Fall 1992 to Spring 1994
(Or the wReam Age or the alt.comics.lnh Age)
This age begins after Cry.Sig or with the creation of alt.comics.lnh.
Everything becomes more structured. FAQs, Rules, Rosters, and Timelines
are written. More core concepts and characters are created. Much of
the Mythos of the LNH like the Woody Scandal, Death of Lost Cause Boy,
Rebel Yell leaving the LNH, Boy Lad are developed in this age. People
start to write series. The NTB, the LNH's first spin-off is formed in
this age. Injokes like Mr. Paprika and Gamerboy are created here. A
community starts to build. People start to go beyond doing simple
parody stories and add tragedy and drama to their tales.
Hard to say when the Golden Age ends. It could be when Rebel Yell
leaves. It could be with the end of the Council of Elders. It could be
with the marriage of Pocket Man and Organic Lass, the beginning of
Retcon Hour, or the last issue of Constellation.
I'd go with perhaps the creation of RACC being the end of the Golden Age.
Character that Defines this Age: Panta
The Silver Age -- Summer 1994 to Fall-Winter 1996
This age begins with the creation of RACC and the start of Retcon Hour.
A new group of writers floods into the group. New titles like Legion
of Occult Heroes,Writer's Block Woman, and Limp Asparagus Lad are
created. The writing starts to become more sophisticated and longer.
People start to become more experimental. The writing also starts to
become more serious, and grim and gritty. LNH spin-offs such as the OSD
and League of Heroes are formed.
The Silver Age ends when a lot of important series start to end like
Ultimate Ninja, Continuity Champ, Martin's run on the LNH series,
Generation Y, Decibel Dude, Fanboy, and Swordmaster. Also with a lot of
series going on permanent hiatus like LNH Triple Play, Legion of Occult
Heroes, and Refugees of Net.ropolis.
I'd probably say that the Silver Age ends right about the time that RACC
becomes moderated.
Character that Defines this Age: Writer's Block Woman
The Bronze Age -- Winter-Spring 1997 to Fall-Winter 1999
(Or the Tom Russell Age)
The Bronze Age begins with RACC becoming moderated and probably with the
first issue of Brain Boy. This is an age where a lot of the older LNH
writers start to move to other RACC imprints or just leave altogether.
Writers like Tom Russell and Jesse Willey start to enter the picture.
This is an age where the LNH starts to lose a little bit of its luster
and isn't quite the dominate force it once was on RACC. It also starts
to become a target for critics in the smaller RACC imprints. Even
former LNH writers start to attack it. Ironically, one of the LNH's
fiercest critics during this time period (Jesse Willey) becomes an LNH
writer and gives it CPR to keep it breathing during the next age.
During this age, the young LNH writers start to out number the old LNH
writers and some friction develops between the two.
I'd say this age ends when both Tales of the LNH and Dvandom Force end
their runs. Also with Jeff McCoskey passing on the Raccies to other people.
Character that Defines this Age: Brain Boy
The Iron Age -- Winter-Spring 2000 to Spring 2004
(Or the Critical Condition Age or the LNH2 Age)
The Iron Age probably begins with Mutton Mania or the first story in
Martin Phipps's LNH2 Imprint. This is the age where everyone starts to
desert RACC. Some go on to blogs or just move on with their life. Most
of the few remaining imprints on RACC start to die off in this age. The
LNH fairs a little bit better although comes close to the verge of death
a few times. Martin Phipps, Tom Russell, Jamie Rosen, Saxon Brenton,
Jesse Willey, and a few others occasionally give it CPR to keep it from
completely biting the dust. A lot of cascades that never seem to get
finished are started during this time.
I'd guess this age ends when Jesse Willey ends The Team and Jamie Rosen
hands over the Raccies to Saxon Brenton.
Character that Defines this Age: Miss Translation
The Modern Age -- Summer 2004 to ????
(Or the Steel Age or the Imagine Saxon Brenton's Raccies Age or the Y-Age)
Of course it'll sound like I'm tooting my own horn here, but I'd
probably go with the start of the Modern Age being the first issue of
the LNHY imprint. Or it's Jamie Rosen restarting the LNH series. Or
Saxon Brenton taking over the Raccies. Whichever.
During this age, the health of the LNH goes from being in critical
condition to stable condition. A few new writers write stuff for the
LNH, but mostly the LNH still relies on a few stalwarts to write the
bulk of the series.
So far I believe this age is still going. Although it's possible that
it ended with the Death of Dr. Cool J Dog. :)
Character that Defines this Age: Wikiboy
Arthur "The Age of Age" Spitzer
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