Fanfic article help!

[RedPiggy]

Hi, I'm trying to write an article about MC fanfics. I'd appreciate a bit of help, since there are countless fics. Please PM me for the answers to this (or answer 'em here, it's not like I can delete 'em, right?). I will use the results to determine which fics I read and review for the article. Thanks!

1. Which fic or fics in your opinion best reflect the characterizations of the major Muppet characters (please list the characters, such as Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf, the Electric Mayhem)? Let's keep it to these characters for this question, shall we?

2. What qualities do you look for in a "good" fanfic? Originality? Characterization? Description? Faithfulness to characters or plot? Plot depth? Quick and easy reads? What fanfics in your opinion exemplify those qualities?

3. Who is your most favorite original character? Which fanfic are they from?

4. If you had a choice (and, really, you do, right?), which property would you read about the most? Muppets (including the Muppet Show, Jim Henson Hour, Muppets Tonight), Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Storyteller, Dinosaurs, Farscape, Sid the Science Kid, Bear in the Big Blue House -- and whatever properties I may have missed.

5. What is the best Fraggle Rock fanfic?

6. What is the best Sesame Street fanfic?

7. What is a personal favorite fic of yours that never got lots of reviews (less than 10)?

8. What, in your opinion, has been your favorite fanfic overall?

 

[theprawncracker]

This is excellent, Kelly! I'll work on my answers later tonight or tomorrow but I'll be glad to contribute to this! Very, very awesome!

 

[RedPiggy]

Thanks. The reason I like this better than the award idea is that I can get a broader range of things to talk about with multiple questions.

 

[theprawncracker]

1. Which fic or fics in your opinion best reflect the characterizations of the major Muppet characters (please list the characters, such as Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf, the Electric Mayhem)? Let's keep it to these characters for this question, shall we? It's so hard to point out just a few fics, because really there are so many good ones. But I have to highlight TogetherAgain's "Summer in the Theater," "Swamp Call," "Christmas Cheer," and "Say Cheese." Really, anything by TogetherAgain has all of the Muppets shown in perfect character, but these are just shining examples of it. It's amazing to me how she can consistently keep all of them so in character. Even characters such as Johnny, Sal, and Clifford, who she's only seen in their rare movie appearances.

A great example of characterization for the Electric Mayhem is in WhiteRabbit's "Coming of the Roads." She has them all down pat in this.

For great Miss Piggy and Kermit writing, look to Ruahnna. Every single story of hers features Kermit and Piggy perfection. There's not one miss in any of them. It's ushy gushy goodness from the original ushy gushy writer.

Some good Gonzo characterization is seen in Leyla's "Something Worth Waiting For" and in Beauregard's "Visions" series. In Beau's, Gonzo is "sad" Gonzo from the VMC dark universe--it's brilliant.

2. What qualities do you look for in a "good" fanfic? Originality? Characterization? Description? Faithfulness to characters or plot? Plot depth? Quick and easy reads? What fanfics in your opinion exemplify those qualities?
I, personally, look for characterization first and foremost. That's is the number one most important thing to me. If the character's "voices" aren't there, the humor, heart-wrenching, or plot can't function as well. Nothing can. Faithfulness to characters is also extremely important to me. Even though some things may seem completely out of character for some (e.g., Rowlf marrying a cat, Piggy going primal after being lost in the Amazon, Gonzo qutting stunts), they all work, because the characters are written in a way it could work.

Exemplary examples include: redBoobergurl's "Rowlf Stories" series, TogetherAgain's library, Super Scooter's "The Super Goofs!" and "Muppets of the Caribbean" (incredible characterization), Leyla's "Scenes From Behind the Scenes," Beauregard's "...And What's on the Other Side?"

3. Who is your most favorite original character? Which fanfic are they from?
Maggie the Frog, from TogetherAgain's opus, "Swamp Call." Kermit's sister... you really have to read it to understand her. I've had the glorious opportunity to use Maggie in fan-fic, and she's so much fun and great comedic opportunity.

4. If you had a choice (and, really, you do, right?), which property would you read about the most? Muppets (including the Muppet Show, Jim Henson Hour, Muppets Tonight), Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Storyteller, Dinosaurs, Farscape, Sid the Science Kid, Bear in the Big Blue House -- and whatever properties I may have missed.
The Muppets, definitely. There's just so much scope out there for their stories. They could, literally, do anything and it would seem plausible. With Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock there's some sort of limitations--preschool characters and underground creatures--but with the Muppets, anything and everything could--and probably will--happen.

5. What is the best Fraggle Rock fanfic?
I haven't read too many Fraggle fics... but redBoobergurl's, "Love's Long Journey" springs to mind. I'm also a fan of my own "Perfect Harmony" fic.

6. What is the best Sesame Street fanfic?
Again, haven't read too many (but there aren't that many, I suppose), but I love redBoobergurl's "The Way Things Were" and "The Search for Bert" and Super Scooter's "Sesame Street: A Musical Play in Two Acts."

7. What is a personal favorite fic of yours that never got lots of reviews (less than 10)?
Super Scooter's "A Day for Sweetums" is hillariously awesome and didn't get nearly enough praise.

8. What, in your opinion, has been your favorite fanfic overall?
This question is SO hard. SOOOO hard. Quite honestly though... I think I have to say TogetherAgain's "Chasing Robin." So many classic running gags ("A dear what?"), hillarious scenes (Sam and Scooter playing Monopoly, Johnny Fiama's car getting smashed, etc.), and the return of Doc Hopper. It's a hillarious, heart-wrenching, wonderful fan-fiction that everyone needs to read.

 

[RedPiggy]

*bows* Thank you, kind sir...

 

[theprawncracker]

*bows* Thank you, kind sir...

Of course! I'll be passing the word along to a few friends with high post counts.

 

[RedPiggy]

Appreciate it. Already PM'd all my friends and those I thought might help.

I'll start on it this weekend, starting with topic 1. How many I review will depend on how many entries I get.

 

[The Count]

My answers, though I'm glad Prawny posted first.

1. Which fic or fics in your opinion best reflect the characterizations of the major Muppet characters (please list the characters, such as Kermit, Piggy,
Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf, the Electric Mayhem)? Let's keep it to these characters for this question, shall we?

Not entirely sure how to answer this one.
Agree Coming of the Roads is EM perfection.
Actually, I think Old Friends Who've Just Met by that prawn dude is perfect Gonzo.

2. What qualities do you look for in a "good" fanfic? Originality? Characterization? Description? Faithfulness to characters or plot? Plot depth? Quick
and easy reads? What fanfics in your opinion exemplify those qualities?

Well... I happen to enjoy/expect a certain faithfulness to the characterizations of Muppet characters when utilized in fanfics, and I find this acceptable in most fics I've read. There are qualities of each classification mentioned above I could go into, but for brevity's sake, let's just say that I enjoy a broad range of fic topics... So long as they're thought out or have a plot to carry out and deliver on said expectancy. Which is why I'm sticking to my character creations for now instead of fictionalizing it after several failed attempts. There are unfinished fics I'd rully like the author to return and complete, but we each have responsabilities offline and in real life I suppose.

*On a side note, there have been times I've been wanting a good trashy adult romance. Guess that's a bit of reader growth I've personally gone through after so many focusing on the frog/pig dynamic in a good way at MC.

3. Who is your most favorite original character? Which fanfic are they from?
In order...
1 Auntie Eleanor from Sara/ReneeLouvier's Sadie's Stories, first introduced in Book 3: Remembering the Good Times We've Had.
2 Wanda the Cat from Beth/redBoobergurl's Rowlf's Stories.
3 Megan the Frog, from Nicee/green stuff's Happily Ever After?
4 Nora Branden, from Erin/Muppet Newsgirl's A Little Knight Music.
5 Mabel the Mole from Catherine/Ruahnna's Kermie's Girl.

4. If you had a choice (and, really, you do, right?), which property would you read about the most? Muppets (including the Muppet Show, Jim Henson Hour,
Muppets Tonight), Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Storyteller, Dinosaurs, Farscape, Sid the Science Kid, Bear in the Big Blue House
-- and whatever properties I may have missed.

Well, I have to say that I enjoy reading about most Muppet/Henson properties in fanfic form. I think I enjoy Hensonville or crossover/melding fics best, where the various realms of Muppetdom are presented cohabiting together—sort of the feeling you got from watching MFC—or when they're thrown together with other franchisal universes like ZootyCutie's Muppets/Mario fics, PuppyLuver's Scoop of the Century orTimewarp Heals All Wounds, or especially muppetwriter's Muppets+Marvel/DC movie treatments.

Also, I would say that those more familiar with the bredth of Sesame Street and/or Fraggle Rock can see the potential for stories without the preschoolish limitations.

5. What is the best Fraggle Rock fanfic?
The Prediciment by Sara/ReneeLouvier, even though it's still unfinished.

6. What is the best Sesame Street fanfic?
Street Smarts by theprawncracker. This was well thought-out and reflects a tone that could easily transfer to a likeable anniversary special, not to mention the clever alusions to SST number segments as chapter titles.

7. What is a personal favorite fic of yours that never got lots of reviews (less than 10)?
Oh, you mean it doesn't have to be one written by the person answering these? Will stick with my answer here anyway.
No Spring Chicken? Not my #1 fave of my own creation, but I think it qualifies for the <10 replies. It was an idea I enjoyed writing, but my true personal fave is Be My ValennTomb.

8. What, in your opinion, has been your favorite fanfic overall?
Kermie's Girl. Mostly because it's drawn some of us MC members into it, but because of the diversity of relationships focused throughout the narrative, not exclusively limited to the frog and pig.

 

[RedPiggy]

*On a side note, there have been times I've been wanting a good trashy adult romance. Guess that's a bit of reader growth I've personally gone through after so many focusing on the frog/pig dynamic in a good way at MC.

I should go look up and see if there are any over at fanfiction.net, LOL. If it didn't make me blush every time I thought about it, I'd do one.

 

[The Count]

*Puts hand around Maleficent Kelly's waist. *Whispers: Don't worry about it. *Laughs that bone-chilling villain laugh of his.