NTB/LNH/HCC: Legion of Net.Heroes Volume 2 #42 (HCC19)

[Andrew Perron]

On Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:27:39 +0000 (UTC), Saxon Brenton wrote:

<snip>
>      "You're probably wondering where all the treasure is," said
>           FIN FANFIC FOOM!
> conversationally.

Ah, now this is the kind of running gag I can enjoy.

>      "It's a story telling engine," said
>           FIN FANFIC FOOM!
> "Here, why don't you try it out?  I'm really quite proud of it."

XD

I was just thinking about storytelling engines in the proper context, so
this is great.
    
> To 
> paraphrase the notions that Lovecraft had used in his horror stories, 
> most people only retained a grip on the thing that was usually confused 
> for 'reality' and 'sanity' by remaining blissfully ignorant of the Big 
> Picture.

...heh heh.  Heh heh heh.  Mwahahahahaha...

As you MAY JUST be able to tell, I like subverting Lovecraftian viewpoints.
This specific version of it - that the "real world" is filled with horror,
and that normal people get by only through determined ignorance - is a
trope perfect for taking the piss on... and I know just the character to do
it.

>      He stopped at a vendor's cart in a crowded lunchtime plaza and 
> bought himself a cup of coffee.  As he raised his drink to his lips he 
> stretched out his mind, feeling the more-or-less coherent fabric of 
> History distil out of Time at a rate of one second per second.  For the 
> moment all seemed quiet, and Mister Elmo sipped his coffee in peace.

Mmmmmmm.  This is nice.

> you would 
> think that any supervillain with enough brain cells to rub together 
> would have moved their operations to another city, or even some little 
> town out in the middle of nowhere.  Ignore the exhibitionists who wanted 
> to build a rep for themselves by trying to fight and defeat a big name 
> superhero.  Mister Elmo was specifically thinking of the villains who 
> had a plan - taking over the world, or summoning up an elder god, or 
> whatever - that would proceed just fine without any sort of climactic 
> fight scene.

Well, that's what we have trenchcoaters for, innit?

>      Meanwhile 
>           FIN FANFIC FOOM!
> had gotten up to the "It's a story telling engine," part of his patter, 
> prompting Mister Elmo to look up brightly.  "Oh, is it?"
>      The dragon and both police looked at him. 
>      "Well, I had been wondering," said Mister Elmo, a touch defensively. 

Heeheehee.  You'd think someone so cynical about others' ways of thinking
and acting would apply a bit more common sense, but that's always the way,
isn't it?  We each have our own blind spots.

>      "I had been wondering when you would get here... Occultism Kid."

D'oh!  Jeez, the NTB's profile really has dropped that much...

>      The police looked at the construct.  One of them frowned in 
> puzzlement.  "It's a giant piece of cheese."
>      "No, it's a Lego statue of Daffy Duck," disagreed the other.

Well I-- huh?

>      "It's..."  There was no time to explain, and even if there had 
> been, this was one of the Legion of Net.Heroes.  He wouldn't have enough 
> intelligence to understand!

Well that's just mean. >:/

>      The dragon roared, lunging towards Mister Elmo.  "Be silent!  Or
>            FIN FANFIC FOOM!
> will put you in his pants!"
>      "Ahhh!" screamed Mister Elmo, genuinely horrified at the prospect. 

Oh, gods, do you ever wash those things!? @.@

>      Fin Fanfic Foom created by Saxon Brenton.  IIRC only named checked 
> previously, first appearance here.  Given over to Public Domain.

That's Free For Use! *fistshake*

>      I'm not entirely happy with this, since I wanted a Net.Trenchcoat 
> Brigade story, but I think instead got a Legion of Net.Heroes story that 
> just happened to have an NTBer in the lead role.

To be fair, the big difference seems to be more one of tone, and that much
you got. (See the many casual deaths.)

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