8FOLD/META: YOU can help write JOLT CITY # 19!

[Andrew Perron]

On Feb 11, 11:35 am, Tom Russell <milos_par... at yahoo.com> wrote:

> HEY, TOM, WHAT ARE ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH A SHARED UNIVERSE?

The difficulty of balancing changes to the overall status quo with the
challenges of continuity and the status quo of each individual title?

> One of the problems with a shared universe is that other characters in
> that universe often have to arbitrarily act like dicks in order to not
> upstage the hero of a given title or story.

Oh, that too.

> You know what I'm talking
> about: Batman's fighting Cthulhu for the fate of not just Gotham City
> but the world, if not the universe, a threat that could ably be met by
> the combined forces of the Justice League, but it's up to Batman alone
> because we're reading DETECTIVE COMICS.

I want to read this now.

> Problems that are nearly
> insurmountable for the Green Knight barely require effort for
> Darkhorse to solve.  (Which is kinda the point of Darkhorse, and kinda
> the point of having him in Jolt City-- to make Martin feel
> inadequate.)

And to provide more opportunities for Silver Age-y "You, the hero,
suck!" covers. (Love 'em.)

> I'm looking for short vingettes (5-15 lines at max) in which a hero of
> your own creation is approached via phone by Darkhorse to help the
> Green Knight.  Said hero turns him down.  To make it interesting,
> however, I *don't* want to do the "I'd love to help, but I'm fighting
> to save the universe from this other threat" schtick.  What I'd like
> is for the heroes to actually act like, well, dicks.

Oooooh.  Interesting.

> Really anything you can think of that doesn't cross the line into anti-
> superhero cynicism.  Maybe they don't like the anti-social Green
> Knight.  Maybe they're hesistant to get involved with the crime-ridden
> metropolis in decline (think of it as asking someone to come and save
> Detroit).  Maybe tonight's his/her special night with their fella/
> lady, or perhaps they're even in mid-coitus.  Perhaps they're
> forthright about it, or perhaps they try to weasel their way out
> ("Sure, I'd love to... but I've got this thing, you know, and...")

Hmmmm.  So what are the limits of reasonableness here?  After all, the
more reasonable, the less dickish.

> PRE- OR POST-CRISIS?
>
> Which crisis?
>
> YOU KNOW WHICH CRISIS.  DON'T BE DIFFICULT.

Heeheehee.

> Just, look-- really, really powerful, no one else like 'em on earth,
> out of everyone's league, basically-- which could very well be another
> reason why your hero doesn't want to get involved.  Several Evil
> Supermen on what appears to be an unstoppable rampage of murder and
> destruction.

Eesh.  Speaking of reasonableness...

> WHAT ABOUT THE RIGHTS-TYPE STUFF?
>
> You would retain all rights to your character, and if you'd like to
> flesh them out in an Eightfold title of their own, hey, that's cool
> and the gang.  (And if you'd like to use one of my throwaway-idea
> characters, be my guest.)  All that I ask is that if this portion of
> Jolt City finds itself published in what Saxon endearingly called
> "deadtree format", that I get to publish your contributions as part of
> the story (you will, of course, be credited within the book for both
> your character and contribution).

Cool cool!  No problems there.

> MIGHT I ADD THAT I LIKE YOUR NEW HAIRCUT?
>
> Thanks!  I'll tell my wife.  And let me say that that's a fetching tie
> and/or skirt you have there, sir or madam!

Thanks, it's gingham!

> AW, THANKS. SO, WHEN DO YOU NEED THIS BY?
>
> The sooner the better, frankly.  Maybe a week or two from now?  One
> vingette per person-- so we have enough room for everyone who wants to
> get involved to do so without slowing down the story's momentum (such
> as it is).

Hmmmmmm.  5-15 lines, you say?  Shouldn't be too hard, tho I'll need
to pop this cosmic story off the stack first...

Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, hmmmm