In the comments to the "would slashers support het couples"-post I often read that het-couples were not as interesting, because their relationship was often canon
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A good way to look at this would be to look at canons that do have canon slash such as Queer as Folk, Oz, or X-Men. Because it's not like they don't exist. :)
Yeah, the thing is, I thought it'd be easier to just ask people who already know a thing or two about those fandoms... ;)
I've got a few glimpses of QaF-fandom and what I've seen was tons of Brian/Michael fic - a non canon couple. In canon we get some kisses and near misses and tons of UST, but never a relationship. But as I said, I've never been in the fandom, and I suspect that I might have only gotten the impression of predominant Brian/Micheal-shipping because I actively went looking for fic about them. Because the non canonness of the two attracts me. So I'm kinda... running in circles? *scratches head* I can only say that with QaF I definitely feel the way I described in the post ("Why should I write more Brian/Justin? I've seen this!" - which might be shallow, but... what the hell.) But maybe that's just me, I don't know!
I was in the QAF fandom from the first season, and the predominant pairing has always been Brian/Justin, to the point that other shippers could occasionally feel persecuted. It's better in LJ land, IMO. (Note: I am not active now in the fandom, but my often negative experience as a B/M shipper forces me to post this.)
I've actually say that all fandoms are very OTP-centric. In QaF, there are a billion Justin/Brian stories and they do give you what you don't get in canon - fluffy, happy endings over and over. Lots of Oz stories are the same with Beecher/Keller.
Fandoms are very OTP-centric in general, no matter if their OTP is canon or not. High comment rates breed more stories of that kind.
Thanks. And, no, slash or het doesn't matter at all. It's just that basically everyone on my flist is a slasher, so I thought it was easier (for me) to just write about slash. But to talk about is good as well - maybe in that context even better, because there are way more canon-het couples out there to relate to...
Loved what you said about the guest stars. Sorry if I start babbling about a show you don't care about AT ALL, but I guess I can make a point that way. So there's this character who's in love buddies with his boyfriend. Both are single and OF COURSE that's a good thing. because it means that I can slash them at any point of the timeline. Yay. However, they did have some encounters with female guest characters - and I loved them (okay, all but one but that's a different story)! because I like them, and I think they're hot, and I want to see them getting sexy! getting sexy and flirty and worked up without a long-term relationship getting in the way of my fantasies. I might even write some het-porn about them, because they
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Oh yes, I think I get your point and I think we're in agreement here. I'm not even entirely sure what your fandom is, but again, I don't know that it matters to this issue all that much.
I can see how one of the OCs having chemistry with a female guest star might give slashers a headache. Understandably so. It sort of depends on what your feeling about the OC is. Is he a 'dyed in the wool' gay man or do he and his buddy have a special chemistry that just sort of transcends gender. I find I buy into the second premise easier (generally) than the first.
When I made my comment above, it really wasn't meant to be heterocentric. I've seen male guest stars have chemistry with male OCs, too, though it was probably unintentional. Doesn't matter, it was there for me.
In any case, I tend to find UST more fun than RST. Because of those knotty problems...
I'm in that situation right now with Jack/Ianto in Torchwood -- I've never had a slash couple become canon before, and after the events of some previous eps, didn't think those two would /ever/ become a canon pairing, even though everyone's statedly bisexual on the show.
And honestly, now? Waiting for the season ender? I'm bloody terrified. Because all we've had so far is an oblique conversation in the show and some IM chats from the website. There's going to be more, and possibly an unhappy ending. And it gets in my way, damnit. I can't just be over here going 'la la la here's my AU where they shag like bunnies' -- I have to write around the canon, and that screws stuff up. I have a story set just after Cyberwoman that's now been jossed so badly I can't seem to find a way to fix it
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I think it depends on the detail. For instance, I've just seen Lee and Kara have their first shag and there are even more questions than before. (Although that's a different situation to becoming a 'couple' it does cover the First Time problem). The relationship is such a confusing mess that I could happily read "first time they do it sober" or "first time it doesn't end with marriage to other people" or hundreds of other little pockets.
Actually, I think in that area, the fanfic is right up on screen. It's quite odd, really.
I'm going to say that, yes, canon slash relationships would still be as interesting as non-canon ones. At least in this day and age. It's because there aren't that many canon relationships that are gay, especially not if they're treated like a normal relationship, without the, say, soap opera drama of QAF and the like.
When a possible canon slash pairing comes up in something--whether it be Ianto and Jack flirting in Torchwood or Madrox admitting that pretty much all the Marvel characters think Rictor and Shatterstar are gay together--it's a thrill, it's still something new. And at the rate society is going, will probably continue to be something new for years.
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I've got a few glimpses of QaF-fandom and what I've seen was tons of Brian/Michael fic - a non canon couple. In canon we get some kisses and near misses and tons of UST, but never a relationship. But as I said, I've never been in the fandom, and I suspect that I might have only gotten the impression of predominant Brian/Micheal-shipping because I actively went looking for fic about them. Because the non canonness of the two attracts me. So I'm kinda... running in circles? *scratches head* I can only say that with QaF I definitely feel the way I described in the post ("Why should I write more Brian/Justin? I've seen this!" - which might be shallow, but... what the hell.) But maybe that's just me, I don't know!
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Fandoms are very OTP-centric in general, no matter if their OTP is canon or not. High comment rates breed more stories of that kind.
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Loved what you said about the guest stars. Sorry if I start babbling about a show you don't care about AT ALL, but I guess I can make a point that way. So there's this character who's in love buddies with his boyfriend. Both are single and OF COURSE that's a good thing. because it means that I can slash them at any point of the timeline. Yay. However, they did have some encounters with female guest characters - and I loved them (okay, all but one but that's a different story)! because I like them, and I think they're hot, and I want to see them getting sexy! getting sexy and flirty and worked up without a long-term relationship getting in the way of my fantasies. I might even write some het-porn about them, because they ( ... )
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I can see how one of the OCs having chemistry with a female guest star might give slashers a headache. Understandably so. It sort of depends on what your feeling about the OC is. Is he a 'dyed in the wool' gay man or do he and his buddy have a special chemistry that just sort of transcends gender. I find I buy into the second premise easier (generally) than the first.
When I made my comment above, it really wasn't meant to be heterocentric. I've seen male guest stars have chemistry with male OCs, too, though it was probably unintentional. Doesn't matter, it was there for me.
In any case, I tend to find UST more fun than RST. Because of those knotty problems...
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And honestly, now? Waiting for the season ender? I'm bloody terrified. Because all we've had so far is an oblique conversation in the show and some IM chats from the website. There's going to be more, and possibly an unhappy ending. And it gets in my way, damnit. I can't just be over here going 'la la la here's my AU where they shag like bunnies' -- I have to write around the canon, and that screws stuff up. I have a story set just after Cyberwoman that's now been jossed so badly I can't seem to find a way to fix it ( ... )
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Actually, I think in that area, the fanfic is right up on screen. It's quite odd, really.
Reply
When a possible canon slash pairing comes up in something--whether it be Ianto and Jack flirting in Torchwood or Madrox admitting that pretty much all the Marvel characters think Rictor and Shatterstar are gay together--it's a thrill, it's still something new. And at the rate society is going, will probably continue to be something new for years.
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