menamebphil

"Evil Author Meme", stolen from Invaderk, who stole it from kuriadalmatia, who stole it from dragonladyk.
 

Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous.

Pick out the title that most intrigues you, or appeals to you, or whatever, and I'll post a snippet!


Christ, this is going to be embarrassing.  Okay, without further ado, in no particular order:

Untitled Superhero Thing.  (A:TLA, modern AU)

Ragnarok.  (A:TLA)

The Haunting of Slade Wilson.  (Teen Titans)

A Kind of Magic.  (Kim Possible/Doctor Fate crossover)

Feelings of Gilt.  (A:TLA/Watchmen crossover)

Bad Reputation.  (A:TLA, modern AU)

Different.  (A:TLA)

Indestructible.  (A:TLA)

Dancing in the Moonlight.  (A:TLA/Teen Titans fusion)

Additional Security.  (Harry Potter/Team Fortress 2 crossover)

So I entered this meme.

5 questions meme:
- Comment with "JACKPOT"''
- I'll respond by asking you five questions so I can get to know you better.
- Update your journal with the answers to the questions.
- Include this explanation in the post and offer to ask other people questions.



Alright.  Show, meet road.

Invaderk asks:


1. Why is your icon Kuei? I mean, I know he's cool and all (and the screencap is really nice) but what about him made you want his face to represent your blog?
 
Look at those glasses.  He's sheer class.

Actually, though, I suppose it's indicative of the fact that I get way too invested in minor characters.  I absolutely love the Earth King, for reasons I can't quite remember.  I guess it's because he's believable- ignorant but not actually stupid, naive but not beyond what makes sense for the situation he is in.  I also cannot get enough of the possibilities inherent in Kuei/June (aka 'that bounty hunter woman').

But, as I said, I get way too invested in secondary/tertiary/quaternary characters.  Aang and Katara are my least favourite main characters on the show (although really the only characters I actually actively dislike are Teo (the wheelchair kid) and Suki.  The many, many, many reasons I dislike Suki are too off-topic to get into here.  Teo's just annoying and bland.)  I guess you could say  figure the show gives Aang and Katara the spotlight enough, and so I have no desire to see their stories continued in fanfic.  This is why my latest multi-chaptered serious story is focused on an AU Grand Lotus Master Piandao shameless plug.

Invaderk asks again:

2. Where else have you been for the ATLA fandom? I feel like I've never run into your name anywhere else but here!
I started, and have maintained, my fanfic 'career' on the black pit known only as Fanfiction.net, under the penname 'menamebephil'.  I have no idea why I dropped the 'e' on LJ.  Maybe it was taken.  Other than that, I lurk on archiveofourown.org, and post fanfics on deviantart, under menamebephil again.

The stuff on fanfiction.net I officially despise, unless it was written at about the time of or after the start of the one I actually like, (the aforementioned Piandao-as-Grand-Lotus-AU) "The Gentleman of Weapons".  Although now I come to think about it, all the scenes I like best for that story are ones I haven't gotten to yet.  The stuff on deviantart is only notable for having a half-completed Mai/Sokka series I'm still ploughing through.


I may eventually post some completed stuff on archiveofourown.org, if only because the ATLA archive is woefully underrepresented, and because the formatting seems best there.

Other than that, though, nowhere really.  I don't frequent forums, and I didn't actually watch the show while it was airing- I had heard it was good, and picked up some of the DVDs to watch with my younger siblings.  The rest is history.



Invaderk (and how do you pronounce that?  Is it invader-k, with the 'k' sounded seperately, or is it just invaderk?) asked:

3. What other fandoms do you support? Do you have OTP's for any of them (including ATLA)?

My first fandom interest obsession, the one that got me into fanfic in the first place, was the show Teen Titans.  I couldn't tell you why it made me want to read, and eventually write, fanfic, but that's where it started.  I still really like the show, and will definitely write some more stuff for it once my Avatar obsession has cooled.


Other than Avatar, I guess the only fandom I actively look for decent fanfic of would be Homestuck.  Seriously.  It's the best webcomic/multimedia extravaganza out there.  It starts slow, but stick with it.  Acts 2 onwards are insane in scope.  And it has the best soundtrack of any webcomic ever written.

I'll keep an eye out for other stuff, if, say, an author I follow has written Assassin's Creed or Dragon Age (or Mass Effect) fanfic, but I've never felt the urge to write anything but Teen Titans and Avatar.  And once Harry Potter.  But I quashed that one quickly.



As for OTPs, well.  I have a lot of Ps, but the OT one is only in Teen Titans:  Beast Boy/Raven.  It was the first pairing I ever really liked, and it's just stuck with me ever since.  When it comes to Avatar, the only shipping I'll commit to is Sokka/Anyone But Suki (there I go again).  I actually do kind of like Zuko/Katara, but only if it's Kind Of A Goof!Zuko/Not As Mature As She Pretends To Be!Katara.  Specifically, though, I have actively shipped Sokka/Ty Lee, Sokka/Mai (YES), Sokka/Azula (sensing a theme?) Sokka/Toph (onesided, oblivious!Sokka) Kuei/June, June/Piandao, and Longshot/Smellerbee.  Oh, and I wrote a crack oneshot featuring Sokka/Azula, Aang/Mai, and Katara/Ty Lee, which I guess means I ship those too.  Which is fine.

Jonathan Q Marmoset asks:

4. Why do you like explosions in fic? Once I'd commented about how I cut out all the explosion scenes and you were displeased. ;)

Because explosions are fantastic.  Next question?





Okay, okay.  In all seriousness, I think decent action scenes are severely underrepresented in writing.  Anyone can write some bullshit about a cheating lover or some shit, and while it might be stunningly awfully written, we'll keep reading, because our emotional investment in the characters will keep us interested.  (I am assuming that if you're reading fanfic about them, you care about the characters)  But writing, say, a blow to the head?  And writing it well enough that it holds the eye, and the reader doesn't just skim the chapter and move on?  Is harder.  And lots of people shy away from the challenge, and don't bother.

Besides, I want someone other than me to write a fight scene where the full implications of Sokka's Space Sword (i.e. that it can tear through steel like it's crepe paper) are acknowledged.  Because the choreography would be fantastic.


I do appreciate, though, that fights in writing do have to be toned down in comparison to ones shown on screen.  In ATLA, we can be told that Master Piandao defeated a hundred firebenders by himself.  And if we were shown it on screen, I reckon all we'd think would be 'sweet mother of god, Piandao is the baddest motherfucker on the planet'.  But if one were to write a fight scene in which Master Piandao defeats a hundred firebenders without taking so much as a scratch, someone is going to call bullshit.  Basically, in animation it's acceptable for Sokka to leap ten feet in the air.  In writing, if you say, "Sokka's leap carried him ten feet, straight upwards", then you've got some explaining to do.

Make him an airbender.


(wow this got off-topic.  Well, I am slightly merry this evening.)




5. How would you describe your online personality in relation to your real-life persona? Are you the same person, or different?


Hmm.  You know, this is an interesting question.

On reflection, I think it's fair to say that I am a hell of a lot more caustic in real life than I am on line.  I've always been a fan of deadpan humour, but a lot of nuances are lost when reduced solely to text.  For example, it isn't exactly uncommon for me to tell one of my friends that he's an unlikable tosser with Chronic Wank Syndrome, and also that I've been fucking his mother.  Now, if I were to say the same thing to someone I talk to on line, it would be much harder for me to telegraph that I am being facetious without utterly sabotaging the joke, such as it is.  So I'm generally politer on line.  Otherwise, I don't display any kind of persona.



Although I am a good deal more patriotic on the internet.  I suppose being surrounded by all this incorrect spelling makes me testy.

I have been silent too long.  For some weeks now, I have irritated my siblings with news of the revelation that has been revealed to me, through the agent of revelations that was my own brain on about three cups of coffee and no sleep.  Now I must tell the world.

We're through the looking glass here, people.

This... is the case of The Avatar Dopplegangers.

I realise that this is by no means a complete list.  After all, my exhaustive research basically amounts to me watching the DVDs a couple of times.  So I urge everyone who can to go out, and uncover more examples.  After all, Knowing Is Half The Battle.  It remains to be seen what the other half is.


Enough preamble.  Are you prepared?

Case No. One:  Big Chief Emancipator.


On the one hand, we have Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribes, father to two of our protagonists.  On the other, we have Abraham Lincoln, Sixteenth President of the United States, Prairie Lawyer, Claymore enthusiast, and all-round badass dude.

Note the high cheekbones on both of them, the tall, clean-shaven upper lip, and the funky beard.  Please also be aware of the thick eyebrows, the solomn gaze of the natural leader, and the air of general, all-round awesomeness.  It should also be noted that, although this does not come  across all that well in the pictures, they were both freakishly tall.



Case No. Two:  Play That Funky Music, Tanned Boy.

To the right, world reknowned guitarist Joe Perry, of Aerosmith.  To the right, world-reknowned prick Hahn, of the Northern Water Tribe.  The Mega Chin on both is self-evident, as is the untamable hair, although Hahn has at least made an effort on that front.  Now, I'll grant you that Hahn is about sixteen, while Joe is considerably older by now, yet the similarities remain.  The high, exposed forehead, and the mouth, almost set in either a condescending smirk or a disapproving ...smirk, actually.  Ditto the air of smugness that surrounds them both, although, to be fair, Joe Perry is actually awesome enough to get away with that.  Hahn's just a prick.

Also Joe's guitar says "Monster Power" on the back, right over where his penis would be were he playing it.  This is utterly hilarious.

Case No. Three:  We Built This City on Mount Doom.


I know, I know, technically it's Hugo Weaving.  And yes, Ozai does actually look like Hugo Weaving.  But the hair seals the deal, really.

This one is pretty obvious.  So much so that there's not much to say beyond "Look!  They freaking well look the same!  It's pretty creepy!"










So there you have it.  Now, what does this mean?  Can Hugo Weaving shoot lightning from his hands?  Can Hugo Weaving only shoot lightning from his hands if he's wearing a long flowing wig?  I hope so, 'cause that would be pretty badass.  A smarter person than I will have to figure out what the animators are trying to tell us, because frankly I lost interest about three seconds ago.

Hmm.

You know, I'm not entirely sure whether or not I liked this film.

On the one hand, the acting was top notch, the fight scenes were utterly spectacular (fast-becoming a standard for Snyder, it seems), and the entire thing retained as much of the style of the graphic novel as could be translated onto film.

On the other- they changed things.  Inevitable, but given the sacred cow status of Watchmen, it's going to be what people are going to grumble about.

Also you won't understand a damn thing if you haven't already read the graphic novel.

The reverential attitude irritates me, but at the same time I can understand it.  The film was very, very careful when making changes, and rest assured that the spirit of the story is unchanged.  But changes there are, mostly extending the admittedly short fight scenes and removing the more hilarious dialogue ('tandoori to go' makes no appearance, to my gratitude), and especially to the climax.  And here is where things get strange for me.

The climax, while not revealing anything, is both better and worse than the original.  Worse in the exclusion of some of the great dialogue, and the different take on the 'villain' of the tale.  It does, slightly, detract from the point a little.

Better, however, in portraying actual people as opposed to points of view.  Moore, by this point in the graphic novel, was more interested in getting his message across, and that he does brilliantly.  What the film has done, on the other hand, is think about how actual people would react in the situation.  I like it a lot, frankly.

The problem here is that I have to wrestle with my Inner Fanboy, and he's about seventy pounds heavier than me.  In admitting I like some of the changes, I have to admit to myself that Watchmen in its original form was less than utterly perfect.  But wrestle I did, and I won out.

If you've read Watchmen, and you've got a decent sense of proportion (a startlingly small number), I heartily recommend the film.  It's strength lies in not treating the graphic novel as some kind of holy tome.  They made pragmatic changes, and thought them through as well.  It at times seems almost like a remarkably intelligent work of fanfiction- unafraid to do things differently from the original work while still respecting it.

Oh, and Jackie Earl, while putting in a stellar performance, does go a little overboard at some points.  He's damn good, but I can't help but wish they'd cast either Simon Pegg or Daniel Craig in the part.  Yes, it would have been terrible, but on the other hand it would have been fucking funny.

...Seriously, Simon Pegg?  Much as I love the guy, he's not suited to playing Rorschach.

I declare that Power Rangers (the hardcore original series, not the gay later ones) is the pinnacle of human evolution.  The entire human culture of music and drama and writing led solely to that show.  Now it's aired, everything else is the 'Happily Ever After' for the world.  But you tossers won't shut up and enjoy it.

Of course, I haven't seen the show since I was eight years old and miming karate with my trousers on back to front.  I'm afraid it won't live up to my wholly reasonable expectations.  But that's just my paranoia talking.

But seriously, that show kicked unholy amounts of ass.  It would always follow the same pattern, too.

Phase One:  Rangers Would Faff About At School.  Those Two Dudes In Leather Jackets Would Make Snarky Comments.  General Dicking About.  Forgettable Teen High School Plot.  Characterisation Etc. Would Happen Here.  Basically Padding.

Phase Two:  Putty Dudes Would Show Up.  Rangers Would Hand Them Their Grey Asses.

Phase Three:  More Putty Dudes Show Up.  Rangers Morph, Then Hand Them Their Collective Ass.  Unsure Why They Needed To Morph, Really.

Phase Four:  Zordon (I Think That Was His Name) Would Summon The Rangers, And Tell Them About The Man In A Rubber Suit That They Had To Beat Up This Week.  Alpha Would Declare Incessantly How Much He Desires The Cock, To The Amusement Of All.

Phase Five:  Rangers Would Meet Man In Rubber Suit.  Would Dodge Sparks For A Bit, Then Whip Out Weapons And Blow Up Scenery Immediately Behind Bad Guy.  This Hurts Bad Guy For Some Reason.

Phase Six:  Make My Monster Grow, Bitch.

Phase Seven:  Oh Shit.  Monster Has Now Been Transplanted To Another Location, And Is Seriously Menacing A Scale Model Of A City.

Phase Eight:  Rangers Summon Dinobots.  Dinobots Fuse Into Giant Man, Because Everyone Knows A Robot Man Is Better Than A Robot T-Rex.  Even If The T-Rex Is Hilariously Innacurate.

Phase Nine:  The Man And The Suit Monster Fight.  Much Of The Scale Model Is Destroyed.  Rangers Are Seen To Wobble.  Sparks Inevitably Fly.

Phase Ten:  Rangers Kick Ass.  Rita and Zedd Nonplussed.

I think my point speaks for itself.

YOU WILL DO THIS. It is fun! I stole it from Invaderk on LJ


1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS! Running commentary is encouraged.
4. Tag your friends who might enjoy doing the game as well as the person you got the note from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Last Ones Left- 2pac
...Hmm. Inauspicious? Perhaps.

 

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
The Lumberjack Song- Monty Python
Well, that's remarkably s-

 

UNsuitable. Totally unsuitable. For serious.

 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Wonderful Tonight- Eric Clapton.

Well. I always did suspect myself of being a closet Hopeless Romantic.

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Loving the Alien- David Bowie.

I must have taken some interesting pills.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?

Serial Killa- Snoop Dogg and the Dogg Pound.

Well. It doesn't get much clearer than that. Run. Now.


WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?

Holiday in Spain- Counting Crows.

Well, there are worse things one could do. Seville is a beautiful city, and Barcelona was great fun.

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?

The Curse- Disturbed.

I KNEW it.


WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?

It Was a Good Day- Ice Cube.

Apparently, I am utterly lost in reminiscence. Yeah, that's fair enough.
 

WHAT IS 2+2?

GZ and Hustlas- Snoop Dogg.

Well duh.


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?

King of New York- The Fun Lovin' Criminals.

Wow. He's better off than I thought. Maybe he should buy the rounds next time.


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

FIGJAM (F*uk I'm Good Just Ask Me)- Butterfingers.

Ah, my hidden egomaniac comes to the fore. Of course.


WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?

I Shot the Sheriff- Bob Marley.

...Oh. Well, I guess I'd better make a good job of it, then.

*Plans to move to a country where they have both sheriffs and places to legally buy firearms.*


WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Mr. Jones- Counting Crows.

Hmm. I'll be a miserable failure, but I will get to hang around in bars and ogle women all day and chat drunkenly to that guy form the Counting Crows.


WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?

The Ecstasy of Gold- Ennio Moricone.

Damn straight.


WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?

Until it Sleeps- Metallica.

So they're horrified by me. Yeah, I can see that.


WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?

Enter Sandman (S&M)- Metallica

Everyone get into the wedding mosh pit! WOO!


WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?

Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None)- Snoop Dogg.

…I have no idea what to make of this.

Seriously. Listen to the song. Now imagine it being played at a funeral.


WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?

Forgot About Dre- Dr Dre.

Amnesia, apparently.

 

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?

Fashion- David Bowie.

Yes. That is my one secret. I design shirts.


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?

Another Round- Foo Fighters.

As long as I'm not paying.


WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?

Looking Out My Back Door- Credence Clearwater Revival.

But... I don't have a back door...


HOW WILL YOU DIE?

Crossroads- Eric Clapton.

Beelzebub's gonna collect on that deal, huh? Bastard.


WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?

Arrival to Earth- Steve Jablonsky.

Too right. Ha ha, just kidding, this planet's alright, I suppose.


WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Run Around- Blues Traveller.

Because people trying to find where they're supposed to be in a panic is hilarious.

 

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?

Father and Son- Cat Stevens.

Bec-

 

...

 

I can't do it.

 

I'm sorry. I know you want snarky commentary, but I just can't do it.

 

This song makes me weep like a baby.


WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?

Who Am I (What's My Name)?- Snoop Dogg.

Apparently, on the big day, I'll develop chronic amnesia (possibly due to my in depth research of the subject) and wander off on a voyage of discovery, leaving my bride jilted at the alter.

 

So I guess that's a no, then.


WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?

Video Killed the Radio Star- Presidents of the United States of Amreica.

Homicidal obsolete data recording systems are the stuff of nightmares, it's true.

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?

Supermassive Black Hole- Muse.

Apparently, people are drawn to me, in spite of my denseness.


IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
The Night- Disturbed.

Yeah. It's so cliché. I mean, the whole dichotomy with the day, light/dark, and so on, is sort of cute, but it gets old after a while. I'm thinking a total new direction. Possibly involving metal.

 

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?

Under Pressure- Queen and David Bowie.

Intense pressure on the spine would be pretty uncomfortable, it's true. And I guess my seat isn't as comfortable as I'd like, so the pressure I am exerting is making my behind a little sore.


WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?

Life on Mars- David Bowie.

Proof of, that is. Well, there ain't none here.



I TAG YOU