Years ago, in my terribly misspent teenage years, I had the experience of going with friends to a midnight showing of the Wizard of Oz. No, not synced to Pink Floyd, just the Wizard of Oz. I suspect as wanton and callow youth are inclined, I may have been under the influence of some controlled substance. I do though vividly remember sitting in this darkened theater, as this movie which I had seem dozens, if not hundreds, of times as a kid unfolded yet again before me.
However, this time, as the munchkins and witches and so forth all went about their well rehearsed business in the foreground, somehow my attention was riveted on the background. These cheesy painted studio backgrounds of distant mountains had me transfixed. I couldn't help wondering, yes, yes, I know all about the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald City and all that. But what the heck is on the other side of those mountains?
Herein lies the central inspiration of that phenomenon known as fanfiction. It is the art of providing one's own spin on the unexplored corners of a world created by another, mainstream art form. This is in fact a very time honored practice, but it was only in the 1960s that it become something of a popular culture craze. Little fanfiction cottage industries arose to explore the unexplored possibilities in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Star Trek. Here the fans could explore in their own fiction the possibilities that the original show couldn't or wouldn't: Klingons could conquer the universe or Kirk and Spock could have a torrid homosexual love affair. This was indeed boldly going where no staff writer was about to go.
Initially the fiction was circulated in fanzines. These were mimeographed and collated collections posted out to subscribers composed of enthusiasts, aficionados and conference attendees. In the age of the Internet, and the World Wide Web, the 1990s brought a whole new dimension to fanfiction. There has been a major growth in the availability of video materials from the original shows that the aspiring fan creator can now draw upon, edit and reframe in various ways, to tell their own story. And this can be done in the quiet of your own room, late at night, with nothing more than a laptop and a ham sandwich. This was yet another path to get over the top of those distant mountains.
An original show, like The Walking Dead, only follows, as it were, a thin line of narrative revelation. At every moment the characters go one way or do one thing and leave so many others intriguing enigmas. The rooms that were not entered, the pathways not followed, stones not turned, choices not made, desires not followed: these are the stuff of fanfiction. And it is a thriving undertaking in the world of The Walking Dead fanfiction. Fanfiction.net alone, citing just one example, has well over 2000 entries; stories exploring the Walking Dead world. And that is but the tip of the iceberg.
When looking for the common themes in The Walking Dead fanfiction, the ones that immediately come to one's attention are a focus upon fleshing out the bios and psyches of various characters. Daryl and Andrea are particularly popular objects of such exploration. There's also those who are more focused on getting beyond the distant mountains. They invent their own characters or sometimes clearly place themselves in the world of The Walking Dead, exploring the other possibilities of that world -- far from the goings on of Rick Grimes and co. Some fanfiction creators even ponder the possibility that the zombies may have internal thoughts. What could those be like. Turn to the fanfiction if you want some idea.
The Walking Dead fanfiction is a great resource for exploring the multilayered possibilities of the show's world. It is a testament to the creativity of the fan base and just a whole lot of fun. But, in closing, there is the question of why there is such fan fascination with the context of the show.
Does it say something about our world in a way that resonates, even if we don't realize it? Check out our thoughts on that at Pretty Much Dead Already
However, this time, as the munchkins and witches and so forth all went about their well rehearsed business in the foreground, somehow my attention was riveted on the background. These cheesy painted studio backgrounds of distant mountains had me transfixed. I couldn't help wondering, yes, yes, I know all about the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald City and all that. But what the heck is on the other side of those mountains?
Herein lies the central inspiration of that phenomenon known as fanfiction. It is the art of providing one's own spin on the unexplored corners of a world created by another, mainstream art form. This is in fact a very time honored practice, but it was only in the 1960s that it become something of a popular culture craze. Little fanfiction cottage industries arose to explore the unexplored possibilities in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Star Trek. Here the fans could explore in their own fiction the possibilities that the original show couldn't or wouldn't: Klingons could conquer the universe or Kirk and Spock could have a torrid homosexual love affair. This was indeed boldly going where no staff writer was about to go.
Initially the fiction was circulated in fanzines. These were mimeographed and collated collections posted out to subscribers composed of enthusiasts, aficionados and conference attendees. In the age of the Internet, and the World Wide Web, the 1990s brought a whole new dimension to fanfiction. There has been a major growth in the availability of video materials from the original shows that the aspiring fan creator can now draw upon, edit and reframe in various ways, to tell their own story. And this can be done in the quiet of your own room, late at night, with nothing more than a laptop and a ham sandwich. This was yet another path to get over the top of those distant mountains.
An original show, like The Walking Dead, only follows, as it were, a thin line of narrative revelation. At every moment the characters go one way or do one thing and leave so many others intriguing enigmas. The rooms that were not entered, the pathways not followed, stones not turned, choices not made, desires not followed: these are the stuff of fanfiction. And it is a thriving undertaking in the world of The Walking Dead fanfiction. Fanfiction.net alone, citing just one example, has well over 2000 entries; stories exploring the Walking Dead world. And that is but the tip of the iceberg.
When looking for the common themes in The Walking Dead fanfiction, the ones that immediately come to one's attention are a focus upon fleshing out the bios and psyches of various characters. Daryl and Andrea are particularly popular objects of such exploration. There's also those who are more focused on getting beyond the distant mountains. They invent their own characters or sometimes clearly place themselves in the world of The Walking Dead, exploring the other possibilities of that world -- far from the goings on of Rick Grimes and co. Some fanfiction creators even ponder the possibility that the zombies may have internal thoughts. What could those be like. Turn to the fanfiction if you want some idea.
The Walking Dead fanfiction is a great resource for exploring the multilayered possibilities of the show's world. It is a testament to the creativity of the fan base and just a whole lot of fun. But, in closing, there is the question of why there is such fan fascination with the context of the show.
Does it say something about our world in a way that resonates, even if we don't realize it? Check out our thoughts on that at Pretty Much Dead Already
About the Author:
Mickey Jhonny is lead writer at The Walking Dead celebration site Pretty Much Dead Already. See his quirky first installment on the Walking Dead actors .
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