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how would you feel about an Ozy and Millie fanfiction archive?

I have some web-space just sitting around and I thought this might be a good investment.

this is an example of what I'm aiming for... except... not so huge.

people could submit stories, others could read them, and It'd probably be a good way to spread the O&M love .

I'm for it if

1) you can get a large enough amount of people who are going to create these stories

2) get an audiance who will read them

I'm not really sure whether it'd be a good idea or not. I'd have to hear a few arguments for either side first.

I would love to see the O&M world open up to something much bigger, and there is only so much our favorite comic writer can do. Fan fiction would be the natural refuge for people seeking more stories and possibilities that have never been explored, or probably never will be.

On the other hand, I feel like it could detract from the real comic because stuff mentioned in fan fiction may be consciously avoided by DC Simpson due to copyright issues. That would surely disappoint some readers hoping for a certain thing to happen only to have it spoiled and lost by some overly eager fan fiction writer.

Finally there is the possibility that this may cause issues with fans that demand accuracy and continuity in stories. It may be very difficult to appease those extremely perceptive fans.

First off, and I'll admit this openly, I see fanfiction - all fanfiction - as an egregious violation of copyright laws. The author (DCS) has the right to control derivative works, which would include fanfiction and any stories derived from the comic.

Also, fanfiction, from what little I've seen, seems to have little respect for the original work. Oh, it's claimed that it's respectful since it was done by a fan, or as a tribute or some other humbug, but I've never seen one that actually respects the characters or situations put forth by the author without twisting them around a half-million different ways. Such an archive could, in addition to inviting copyright infringement, invite some, erm, very inappropriate stories. Which isn't only wrong from a legal standpoint, but it's tremendously plain rude and disrespectful to DCS.

(Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, so given statements regarding copyright may or may not be accurate.)

I would love to see the O&M world open up to something much bigger, and there is only so much our favorite comic writer can do. Fan fiction would be the natural refuge for people seeking more stories and possibilities that have never been explored, or probably never will be.

On the other hand, I feel like it could detract from the real comic because stuff mentioned in fan fiction may be consciously avoided by DC Simpson due to copyright issues. That would surely disappoint some readers hoping for a certain thing to happen only to have it spoiled and lost by some overly eager fan fiction writer.

I agree with both of these points. Herein lies a problem.

Finally there is the possibility that this may cause issues with fans that demand accuracy and continuity in stories. It may be very difficult to appease those extremely perceptive fans.

Ah. The Doctor Who phenonemon.

If that sort of fan can enjoy Doctor Who and manage to tie the books, audio dramas, comic strips and television series into one continuity which doesn't contradict itself (bearing in mind the 70s UNIT stories were set in the late 70s and early 80s, and it's revealed in a 1980s story that the Brigadier retired in 1976. And that's within the tv series only, when you get onto the books and audios... I think Ace has three fates. She dies, she becomes Time's Vigilante, and/or she's still happily travelling with the Doctor. Then again, we don't know what happens to Ace at the end of the Big Finish audios, so that's not really a fate), then that sort of fan can successfully enjoy anything at all.

Heck, I think that sort of fan might enjoy things that are painfully contorted continuity wise more than easy things isnce it's kinda fun to unwravel them.

Also, fanfiction, from what little I've seen, seems to have little respect for the original work. Oh, it's claimed that it's respectful since it was done by a fan, or as a tribute or some other humbug, but I've never seen one that actually respects the characters or situations put forth by the author without twisting them around a half-million different ways. Such an archive could, in addition to inviting copyright infringement, invite some, erm, very inappropriate stories. Which isn't only wrong from a legal standpoint, but it's tremendously plain rude and disrespectful to DCS.

Mmm. An interesting arguement. But it should be noted that there are at least three types of fanfiction. Good fanfiction, bad fanfiction, and fanfiction set in the world but using completely original characters. I don't think I'm doing the overall environment of fanfiction any disservice if I were to say that the vast majority is bad.

Copyright law wise, ugh that's an awkward one. iirc, while the author has a right to exercise some control over derivitive works, the author does not have the right to ban derivitive works, and then there's the "not for profit" defence. Copywrite law is extremely complicated, extremely messy, and while it originally was designed to encourage creativity it's often used by big companies to protect their profit margins and stifle creativity.

Parrody is allowable under copywrite law. As Rowling discovered when she tried to sue that Harry Potter parody for copywrite infringement... Barry something or other, I think. Other than that, I have no clue what's allowable under copywrite and what isn't.

plus uh...the only really published "fanfiction" I've ever heard about it all my time of being a member of this community was the pornographic one, and I know you guys don't want that...

plus uh...the only really published "fanfiction" I've ever heard about it all my time of being a member of this community was the pornographic one, and I know you guys don't want that...

Yeah I gree with that there, as well as all of ya.

And I know first hand that some fans can have sick and twisted minds when it comes to fanfictions. For example, I have a RL friend who is part of Fanfiction.net, and has a harry potter fanfiction that... um... involves... Harry... Drako... and um... unmentionable stuff that would get me banned and probably arrested in a few states. I Don't "Like" this kind of fanfiction, but like the darkside of the fur.. fur... *sigh* can't even type it. Like the dark side of the fur fandom, I know it's there and it won't go away easily.

However, I also know that there are good fanfictions out there, that can actually be quite entertaining. For exaple, Blue blur has a fanfiction for Jack that is Quite good, and keeps all the characters in their right states of mind. Not a single out-of-place statement.

You could consider Fanfiction, a double-edged sword. While I'm all for Fanfiction (I even have my own "Unfinished one" for O&M) I also do caution because those things ARE out there. You can find just about ANYTHING if you look hard enough.

Sorry for the late... stuff... I've gone into 'Grammar Perfectionist' mode... I've been working on this since Tavis' post.

Finally there is the possibility that this may cause issues with fans that demand accuracy and continuity in stories. It may be very difficult to appease those extremely perceptive fans.

and there are those who misinterperet everything on purpose.

It's exactly like that with the Harry Potter fandom.

especially with most Harry/Hermione shippers /shudder/

I've wittnesed five-too-many flame wars over that to want to moderate one.

First off, and I'll admit this openly, I see fanfiction - all fanfiction - as an egregious violation of copyright laws. The author (DCS) has the right to control derivative works, which would include fanfiction and any stories derived from the comic.

Also, fanfiction, from what little I've seen, seems to have little respect for the original work. Oh, it's claimed that it's respectful since it was done by a fan, or as a tribute or some other humbug, but I've never seen one that actually respects the characters or situations put forth by the author without twisting them around a half-million different ways. Such an archive could, in addition to inviting copyright infringement, invite some, erm, very inappropriate stories. Which isn't only wrong from a legal standpoint, but it's tremendously plain rude and disrespectful to DCS.

(Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, so given statements regarding copyright may or may not be accurate.)

please, I don't want this thread to become a flame war (I am not saying your post is a flame, but I've seen posts like that induce them).

copyright infringment:
I'm not very good with copyright-nese.


Inappropriate Stories: do you THINK I would allow those?
t'wil be a PG-13 community.
any 'smut-fics' found will be burned by the stake and the perpetrator banned for life, no questions asked, and publicly humiliated.
'tis NOT an idle threat!

do you think I will not crack down on this?

plus uh...the only really published "fanfiction" I've ever heard about it all my time of being a member of this community was the pornographic one, and I know you guys don't want that...

see my previous comment.

I've never seen one that actually respects the characters or situations put forth by the author without twisting them around a half-million different ways.

[Will Wonka] you're really wierd,[/Willy Wonka]

that's why it's fandom (fan-created situations), not canon (the source material).

personality indescrepincies(sp?) are inevitable, but hard with these types of characters (Ozy, Millie, Llewellyn, etc...).

wow, I think this is my longest post, yet.

First off, and I'll admit this openly, I see fanfiction - all fanfiction - as an egregious violation of copyright laws. The author (DCS) has the right to control derivative works, which would include fanfiction and any stories derived from the comic.

Also, fanfiction, from what little I've seen, seems to have little respect for the original work. Oh, it's claimed that it's respectful since it was done by a fan, or as a tribute or some other humbug, but I've never seen one that actually respects the characters or situations put forth by the author without twisting them around a half-million different ways. Such an archive could, in addition to inviting copyright infringement, invite some, erm, very inappropriate stories. Which isn't only wrong from a legal standpoint, but it's tremendously plain rude and disrespectful to DCS.

(Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, so given statements regarding copyright may or may not be accurate.)

I wholeheartedly agree. Fanart and that "Bagi" anime didn't need to mix.

What a great idea. I say let's go for it.

I've never seen one that actually respects the characters or situations put forth by the author without twisting them around a half-million different ways.

[Will Wonka] you're really wierd,[/Willy Wonka]

that's why it's fandom (fan-created situations), not canon (the source material).

personality indescrepincies(sp?) are inevitable, but hard with these types of characters (Ozy, Millie, Llewellyn, etc...).

The problem is, once a character gets put into "fandom" as you call it, the character no longer is the author's character. It's been twisted by the fan-author based on what they think suits the character best. My major issue with this is that the fan-author has taken the fruits of the author's labor and creativity and tried to make it their own by writing an outside story. Which is, in a sense, stealing the author's work. And the situation is further problematic by the fact that the fan-author uses the same names and situations present in the author's existing work, so even though there is now this character that is by all means completely new, it has the original name and situations created by the author, which links it back to the author. And such a false association could present the wrong impression of what the author is creating - perhaps not consciously, but subconsciously the reader is thinking of a character that completely defames the author's original work.

I'm just not comfortable with the thought of some rogue writer taking off with a character and having him do who knows what and then just shrugging it off as fanfiction. Humbug. All they've done is hijack someone else's creativity because they couldn't be bothered to come up with any original characters of their own, using someone else's work to get around their own apparent laziness.

Yeah, I'm a bit bitter. And, um, I'll get off my soapbox now.

I never knew there was such controversy related to fan-fiction.

In my opinion, most problems could be solved with fairly strict guidelines and a few good mods.

The word "fan-fiction" first brought to mind writing scripts just for the fun of it. And then we can have fan-comics made from those scripts. And then...and then...the world!

*rolls off into some delusions of grandeur*

Yeah, I'm a bit bitter. And, um, I'll get off my soapbox now.

please, do.

I really don't want to debate the morals of fanfiction, I just want to know what people think this could do to the fandom, as a whole, and wether or not this is a good idea.

The problem is, once a character gets put into "fandom" as you call it, the character no longer is the author's character. It's been twisted by the fan-author based on what they think suits the character best. My major issue with this is that the fan-author has taken the fruits of the author's labor and creativity and tried to make it their own by writing an outside story. Which is, in a sense, stealing the author's work. And the situation is further problematic by the fact that the fan-author uses the same names and situations present in the author's existing work, so even though there is now this character that is by all means completely new, it has the original name and situations created by the author, which links it back to the author. And such a false association could present the wrong impression of what the author is creating - perhaps not consciously, but subconsciously the reader is thinking of a character that completely defames the author's original work.

I'm just not comfortable with the thought of some rogue writer taking off with a character and having him do who knows what and then just shrugging it off as fanfiction. Humbug. All they've done is hijack someone else's creativity because they couldn't be bothered to come up with any original characters of their own, using someone else's work to get around their own apparent laziness.

You have a valid Point, But some people consider it an HONOR to have there cast in a fanfiction. David Hopkins has a Section on his Messageboard for Jack that is for Fan-fics, so he's ok with it, DC Simpson hasn't said anything outright against the use of his characters in a fan-fiction, and many others are ok with the idea of a fanfiction.

And here's something to ponder, the Ozy and Millie fan Cartoon, would that not be some form of Fan-fiction? True at the moment we are just working off the Intro strips (which has been edited to a diffrent version than the original) but the script writers keep the charactewrs how they are. this would be GOOD fan-fiction.

Plus, fan-fiction can actually be the ticket to a fandom in the firstplace. Say some emerging artist writes a Comic strip that's of a good quality and has great characters that are funny and potentionally memorable, but the strip goes unnoticed for quite a while. However, there could be one fan who wants to make there own twist to the stroy in the form of a fanfiction, and does so in the good form, keeping their characters in their respective manners. Otherpeople may find this fanfiction, and want to check out this comic, which will lead to a fandom of the original.

So I bring back my original Statement, Fan-fiction, like all fan things, is a double-edged sword.

But then there's also the difference between a strip comic and a story arc comic. While I do feel totally flattered by you mentioning my story, I think there's one problem there. That story is based off of a comic that is made to be written about. O&M isn't really that sort of comic. Fan cartoons, yup... fan comics and art, yup... but the fan fiction just doesn't seem to fit.

But... Nevertheless, it's not so bad, so yes.