(no subject)

[roxy]

mecurtin pointed me towards metafandom and whoa—some very interesting posts there. Also--What the fucking fuck????? You have got to be kidding me...

It made me all thinky about writing, and specifically, writing characters of color, and I'll refrain from saying CoCs and snickering. See, this is why I very seldom *get* thinky.

It's a subject that gets kicked around a lot, one I find very interesting.

So, I got curious. Roxy, how many times have you written characters of color into your stories, lo, though your fandom is Anglo-Saxon as Anglo-Saxon can be?



Boys Of Summer: Pete, and his whole OC family of brothers and one sister. They played important parts in story

The Dog: one of the major characters in Lex's life in the story was a body guard, Robin Wald, a Black man. And actually, a cross-over character, Principal Hotstuff from Buffy

I'll Fly Away is a Pete-centric story, and most of the characters are Black. In this fic, Clark was the man on the outside. This came about mostly because I was thinking about diversity in the SV universe, using Pete as an interesting character, and Pete as a sexual character, which believe me—rare as hell. If you know a story in which Pete actually gets it on, let me know—bonus if it's one of the main players. I think I also realized that I had some kind of weird prejudice going on here that I'm not discussing right yet. I'll save that for another post.

Ripley parts one and two: one of Ripley's daddies is a man of color. Jordan, one of my favorite OCs. I didn’t make a big issue of it, he just was.

Honorable mention:

Brothers and Heroes: Clark picks up a mixed race boy in Thailand. That was to date, my only attempt to write a non-white character who wasn't black. Blink and you'll miss him

Edge of The Forest Alexei's story—the main character of Fire Bird. His first love (more or less) was a mixed race boy, Russian/African.

Mariposa: The opening is narrated by a person of color and an enormous Mary-Sue. (I am also the queen of self-insertion.) Hey if it was good enough for Hitchcock…I'm not sure if that counts as a CoC. *g*. I know I certainly am.

Also, coulkd someone remind me how that Five Pretty Good Stories I Wrote meme id supposed to go? And soon, in the space, SV ficlet! And The Joker! Yes! And some more SpN, I think! *G*

Shit, I missed you guys!

Comments

[danceswithgary]

I backed away from that discussion *pets each of my Petes*.

The 5 story meme is:

Post a list of your top five favourite fics you've written, regardless of fandom or the reason you love them. This isn't about the best things you've written, but what you love most. Then tag five other people to do the same.

Mine is here as an example. Can't wait to see yours.

So glad you're back. *sneaks another hug*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm*
I lub hugs!

Thank you sweetie!

[beet]

You! You're back!!! *GLOMPS!*

And so tan and thinky! *admires*
Hope your trip was wonderful, sweetie. :D

Regarding characters of color in SB fandom--Yes!
I have thought similar things myself, but have never figured out how to include more CoCs given the incredibly white main cast and my own nearly total Clex obsession. :/

I only have 2 manips that have people of color in them (here and here.

ps. I missed you!!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Thank you for noticing my thinky flavored tan! *G*

And gosh...thank you for showing me back to the Den of Boys of Many Colors...woooooo....

I missed you tooooooooo!!! *huggles*

[cjandre.livejournal.com]

1) I really had to think about the question of how many stories I've written with people of color. In fanfic, I have a very old story from Prey with a large number of black characters - but they were also not entirely human, so they weren't culturally African American.

2) I've written about American Indians in a Sentinel story - and they were culturally American Indian - although the tribe was fictional and the traditions something of an amalgam from researching the Pacific Northwest tribes.

3) I've had Pete in a few SV stories, but never as a POV character.

Hmmm

4) A Japanese woman who was pretty central to a Sentinel story.

And I think that's about it...

My fanfic tends to mirror the shows pretty closely and I use very few original characters. I wonder if that influences how many characters of color I've written? I think it must, because in orignial fic I have Hispanic and Asian central characters fairly frequently.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Oh see, that's very interesting. I imagine in Sentinel stories you do get an opportunity to write non-white characters because of the story. SV is relentlessly Anglo-Saxon--any character of color beside Pete has to be an OC.
Now, I dropped entirely out of Psych fandom because the little girls there seemed to be able to write reams and reams about the major character--white, and another white character, one who wasn't very central to the story, and *totally* ignore the other main character--a childhood friend of the major character, the guy who put up with his nuttiness, the only other character on the show the main guy had any kind of chemistry with--who happened to be Black. That really struck me as blatant racism.

[tasabian.livejournal.com]

I have especial love for Robin Wald in "Dog."

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thanks so much! He was a very interesting character to write. I'm very happy that you liked him!

[hyperfocused.livejournal.com]

The very first SV story I wrote, "The Black Ferris" (for the Bradbury Title Challenge) was a Pete POV. (It was still Clex, though). I've used him again, but never as the POV character, I don't think.

I may possibly have used Isaac POV in a Sports Night drabble or two, or Captain Banks in a Sentinel fic, but I'm not positive. I did just do an SGA threesome with Ronon.

Welcome home, btw! (and I loved your Mariposa narrator.)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

I think really the trick to using Pete is to invent your own personality for him, because Pete pretty much remained a cypher for most of the time he was on the show--and not through any lack of Sam's acting ability. They just didn't do anything with him, IMO.

I did just do an SGA threesome with Ronon.
Threesome, you say? *koff* Reeelly?
Welcome home, btw! (and I loved your Mariposa narrator.)
Oh, thank you so much, it's nice to be back, lovely as our stay was! And also, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! *wiggles from joy*

[pepperjackcandy.livejournal.com]

IMHO, SV got much "whiter" in S2 and subsequent seasons.

Details and rambling deleted, except to say that I've always thought it was pretty gutsy of them to make the family who basically ran the town until the Luthors took over a Black family.

[pepperjackcandy.livejournal.com]

Also, this just goes to prove that no two people see SV the same way. Because I've always seen SV as much less "white" than other shows on pretty much any network, but particularly the late WB.

I'm still irked that they "whited Lana up" in S2.

[ladydreamer.livejournal.com]

What the fucking fuck indeed. *hugs* Welcome back.

I don't write S1-3 as much as I'd like, but when possible and logical, Pete shows up. He's hard to write for me because they gave us so little of his character (and stole his plotlines for Lana), then made him a tool. It's hard to write him with the major players unless you do Plete, because it's weird with Clark or Chloe and I like him too much to put him with Lana! I wouldn't be opposed to creating (or borrowing) a girlfriend for him who deserved him.

You Make Me Sick: Michelle is black (although I mention it but once, she's in a few stories and will be getting a bigger part... whenever that issue comes up). Dr. Yeh's family is actually from Hong Kong. Mercy is Blewish (Black/Jewish), but she passes and since Clark isn't apt to notice, and Lex doesn't think about it, this probably won't be mentioned for a while.

I have a couple of unposted stories where I bring in Lena Luciano as a half-Latina friend of Lex, and her friend Marina who appears in stories without her. Domovoi, Lex's butler is of Slavic/Russian descent. I don't know how many stories he appears in.

Does Lex count when I make him Jewish? I didn't even think of Lana... but she's around. And I refuse to make her French, though, in If It Doesn't Fit, It's Ugly Anyway, she's part Kawatchi. I'm a little annoyed that they don't have more AM students at Smallville High.

I stick so closely to the canon characters that I don't give myself much chance to develop these characters sometimes, and OCs VERY rarely get a POV section (although Lena will) unless I'm borrowing them from comic canon. In my original fiction, I've felt much more comfortable trying to write PoV from CoC. One of these days I'm going to have to play with Andrea (from Vengence. Cause she's hot and Chloe wants her). Looking at this list, I probably need to write more CoC who are MALE. I really want to write a DIFFERENT black guy as J'onn J'onzz because that pretender on SV is a fraud. We also have a very pretty Victor Stone to play with, if you're working the later seasons. (And now my evil brain wants Victor/Chloe to piss off Pete.)

[(Anonymous)]

WRT recasting J'onn J'onzz, he is, of course, a shapeshifter. :) May I suggest Carl Lumbly, who does J'onn's voice for Justice League?

--Jessica

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

And now my evil brain wants Victor/Chloe to piss off Pete.
Wow, you are evil!
Does Lex count when I make him Jewish?
Well, it adds to the diversity, doesn't it? *G*

[jakrar.livejournal.com]

The Dog: one of the major characters in Lex's life in the story was a body guard, Robin Wald, a Black man. And actually, a cross-over character, Principal Hotstuff from Buffy

*smacks self in head* I never realized the bodyguard was the same guy as the principal in Buffy. Now I'll have to go back and reread with that very hot image in mind....

Mariposa: The opening is narrated by a person of color and an enormous Mary-Sue. (I am also the queen of self-insertion.) Hey if it was good enough for Hitchcock…

I love your self-insertion! (And I won't even call you 'Afred.')

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*smacks self in head* I never realized the bodyguard was the same guy as the principal in Buffy

aaah, I'm such a doof, I love doing things like that. If it's not me, it's a Buffy character. *G* I'm real lucky ya'll are such a tolerant lot!

[capnzebbie.livejournal.com]

Now I have to reread the Ripleys for about the twelfth time :) (there were a couple of weeks there when I obsessively reread those two stories over and over) I love Jordan! He's one of my favorite OCs ever!

Welcome back! *HUGS*

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* I'm so glad to be back!

Also, you're kidding me, really? *roxy be cheesing something awful*

Thank you!! Jordan just kind of took over all his scenes, didn't he? *grin*

Shmooooooooch* you, you make me happy!

[pepperjackcandy.livejournal.com]

Also, regarding the characters of color thing, if I think that James Potter was Black, can I count all of my HP fics? 8-)

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

LOL!!

but of course!

Do you really? *looks all amazed*

[herohunter.livejournal.com]

Wheeeee, ROXY!! *tackles*


The comic book Pete wasn't a CoC (just like Lana was never exotic) but I LOVE SV's Pete! I think that Sam had that best friend quality and he was perfectly cast, as I'm sure you'll agree!

I hardly ever think about race issues because, being from Brazil, everyone's the same color to me (we're a very varied people), hehehe!

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

*staggers* Babeeeeee!!!!
I think it was a good choice, since canon Supes origins is so white you could go snowblind--and I totally agree about Pete, and Sam's a very good actor--the kind that never gets credit becasue he makes it look so natural.

Seems to me, Brazil is omg filled with beautiful people in all different shades and no one seems to go crazy over it like they do here. *G*

[ender24]

dips you :D

and also, i have things to say regarding race and fandom, alas i am busy with my white clex boys *g*

[meadowlion.livejournal.com]

I seem to remember reading a couple Pete/Clark fics and a couple Clark/Chloe/Pete fics early on, and there were a few other stories that don't quite fit either of those categories. Te definitely wrote some Pete-centric fic, and you can find more at the Remember Us archive.

[roxymissrose.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!