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Jan. 25th, 2007
Canon or Not Canon, That is the Question
Jan. 25th, 2007 10:01 pmRan across the question of canon in another forum and thought that I would repost my musings here. Joss Whedon's Season 8 comics... canon or not?
Frankly, I wrestle with the concept of comics as tv fandom canon. It doesn't feel like canon. It simply feels like yet another variation of fanfic.
Understand, I have great respect for fanfic. It's just that with fanfic I compartmentalize in my head a bunch of different possible outcomes. I see the Joss-penned comic as one of those possible outcomes, but it doesn't feel like the only possible outcome. I know this is somewhat difficult to understand for those who are in the camp of "It's all about Joss." But, I'm not intellectualizing this. This feeling is from my gut. If it's not on screen it's not canon to me. This is especially true for the Season 8 comics because the chances are slim to none of my actually reading these comics (unless they're a heck of a lot more interesting than their ads have seemed).
I'm reminded of how, after Farscape went off air, one of the head writers of the show penned a post finale story that was then printed in the Farscape magazine. It was written by the guy who wrote the show, so you'd think "canon"... except when they actually did film a Farscape follow-up in the mini-series, it doesn't align with the magazine story at all. So, again, was the magazine story 'canon'? Not if you compare it to what aired on screen. What aired on screen is canon. That simple.
I take the same view with the comics. Yeah, it's interesting in that it's Joss-penned fanfic. It can have merit in its own right, but it's a different media and so... not canon to me.
Actually, on an entirely different subject, I was thinking a lot about canon this week. When I was watching the BBC production of Jane Eyre that is airing on Masterpiece Theater, two things sort of struck me.
* Why is Jane Eyre's hair the same godawful hairstyle in every on screen production? It's been years (okay, decades) since I read the book. Is that godawful hairstyle described in the book and that's why they always choose it? Or is it just a plain jane Victorian hairstyle they can stick on attractive actresses to make them look plain? Since it's the same hairstyle every time... has this hairstyle passed into fanon or is it canon?
* I keep having my image of Mr. Rochester influenced by "Wide Sargasso Sea"... which, I consider to be fanfic despite the fact that it's a published and quite famous. The two novels were published with entirely different mindsets (and authors). I don't think Rhy's Rochester and Rhy's Bertha are the same as Bronte's Rochester and Bronte's Bertha... and yet, even considering Wide Sargasso Sea as professional fanfic, it seems to creep (negatively) into my impressions of Rochester.
Anyway, I don't think the lines of canon are always perfectly clear cut. In the case of Joss comics, the change in medium and the absense of actors makes the comic -- even if penned by Joss himself-- feel like it isn't canon... at least to me.
Frankly, I wrestle with the concept of comics as tv fandom canon. It doesn't feel like canon. It simply feels like yet another variation of fanfic.
Understand, I have great respect for fanfic. It's just that with fanfic I compartmentalize in my head a bunch of different possible outcomes. I see the Joss-penned comic as one of those possible outcomes, but it doesn't feel like the only possible outcome. I know this is somewhat difficult to understand for those who are in the camp of "It's all about Joss." But, I'm not intellectualizing this. This feeling is from my gut. If it's not on screen it's not canon to me. This is especially true for the Season 8 comics because the chances are slim to none of my actually reading these comics (unless they're a heck of a lot more interesting than their ads have seemed).
I'm reminded of how, after Farscape went off air, one of the head writers of the show penned a post finale story that was then printed in the Farscape magazine. It was written by the guy who wrote the show, so you'd think "canon"... except when they actually did film a Farscape follow-up in the mini-series, it doesn't align with the magazine story at all. So, again, was the magazine story 'canon'? Not if you compare it to what aired on screen. What aired on screen is canon. That simple.
I take the same view with the comics. Yeah, it's interesting in that it's Joss-penned fanfic. It can have merit in its own right, but it's a different media and so... not canon to me.
Actually, on an entirely different subject, I was thinking a lot about canon this week. When I was watching the BBC production of Jane Eyre that is airing on Masterpiece Theater, two things sort of struck me.
* Why is Jane Eyre's hair the same godawful hairstyle in every on screen production? It's been years (okay, decades) since I read the book. Is that godawful hairstyle described in the book and that's why they always choose it? Or is it just a plain jane Victorian hairstyle they can stick on attractive actresses to make them look plain? Since it's the same hairstyle every time... has this hairstyle passed into fanon or is it canon?
* I keep having my image of Mr. Rochester influenced by "Wide Sargasso Sea"... which, I consider to be fanfic despite the fact that it's a published and quite famous. The two novels were published with entirely different mindsets (and authors). I don't think Rhy's Rochester and Rhy's Bertha are the same as Bronte's Rochester and Bronte's Bertha... and yet, even considering Wide Sargasso Sea as professional fanfic, it seems to creep (negatively) into my impressions of Rochester.
Anyway, I don't think the lines of canon are always perfectly clear cut. In the case of Joss comics, the change in medium and the absense of actors makes the comic -- even if penned by Joss himself-- feel like it isn't canon... at least to me.
Canon or Not Canon, That is the Question
Jan. 25th, 2007 10:01 pmRan across the question of canon in another forum and thought that I would repost my musings here. Joss Whedon's Season 8 comics... canon or not?
Frankly, I wrestle with the concept of comics as tv fandom canon. It doesn't feel like canon. It simply feels like yet another variation of fanfic.
Understand, I have great respect for fanfic. It's just that with fanfic I compartmentalize in my head a bunch of different possible outcomes. I see the Joss-penned comic as one of those possible outcomes, but it doesn't feel like the only possible outcome. I know this is somewhat difficult to understand for those who are in the camp of "It's all about Joss." But, I'm not intellectualizing this. This feeling is from my gut. If it's not on screen it's not canon to me. This is especially true for the Season 8 comics because the chances are slim to none of my actually reading these comics (unless they're a heck of a lot more interesting than their ads have seemed).
I'm reminded of how, after Farscape went off air, one of the head writers of the show penned a post finale story that was then printed in the Farscape magazine. It was written by the guy who wrote the show, so you'd think "canon"... except when they actually did film a Farscape follow-up in the mini-series, it doesn't align with the magazine story at all. So, again, was the magazine story 'canon'? Not if you compare it to what aired on screen. What aired on screen is canon. That simple.
I take the same view with the comics. Yeah, it's interesting in that it's Joss-penned fanfic. It can have merit in its own right, but it's a different media and so... not canon to me.
Actually, on an entirely different subject, I was thinking a lot about canon this week. When I was watching the BBC production of Jane Eyre that is airing on Masterpiece Theater, two things sort of struck me.
* Why is Jane Eyre's hair the same godawful hairstyle in every on screen production? It's been years (okay, decades) since I read the book. Is that godawful hairstyle described in the book and that's why they always choose it? Or is it just a plain jane Victorian hairstyle they can stick on attractive actresses to make them look plain? Since it's the same hairstyle every time... has this hairstyle passed into fanon or is it canon?
* I keep having my image of Mr. Rochester influenced by "Wide Sargasso Sea"... which, I consider to be fanfic despite the fact that it's a published and quite famous. The two novels were published with entirely different mindsets (and authors). I don't think Rhy's Rochester and Rhy's Bertha are the same as Bronte's Rochester and Bronte's Bertha... and yet, even considering Wide Sargasso Sea as professional fanfic, it seems to creep (negatively) into my impressions of Rochester.
Anyway, I don't think the lines of canon are always perfectly clear cut. In the case of Joss comics, the change in medium and the absense of actors makes the comic -- even if penned by Joss himself-- feel like it isn't canon... at least to me.
Frankly, I wrestle with the concept of comics as tv fandom canon. It doesn't feel like canon. It simply feels like yet another variation of fanfic.
Understand, I have great respect for fanfic. It's just that with fanfic I compartmentalize in my head a bunch of different possible outcomes. I see the Joss-penned comic as one of those possible outcomes, but it doesn't feel like the only possible outcome. I know this is somewhat difficult to understand for those who are in the camp of "It's all about Joss." But, I'm not intellectualizing this. This feeling is from my gut. If it's not on screen it's not canon to me. This is especially true for the Season 8 comics because the chances are slim to none of my actually reading these comics (unless they're a heck of a lot more interesting than their ads have seemed).
I'm reminded of how, after Farscape went off air, one of the head writers of the show penned a post finale story that was then printed in the Farscape magazine. It was written by the guy who wrote the show, so you'd think "canon"... except when they actually did film a Farscape follow-up in the mini-series, it doesn't align with the magazine story at all. So, again, was the magazine story 'canon'? Not if you compare it to what aired on screen. What aired on screen is canon. That simple.
I take the same view with the comics. Yeah, it's interesting in that it's Joss-penned fanfic. It can have merit in its own right, but it's a different media and so... not canon to me.
Actually, on an entirely different subject, I was thinking a lot about canon this week. When I was watching the BBC production of Jane Eyre that is airing on Masterpiece Theater, two things sort of struck me.
* Why is Jane Eyre's hair the same godawful hairstyle in every on screen production? It's been years (okay, decades) since I read the book. Is that godawful hairstyle described in the book and that's why they always choose it? Or is it just a plain jane Victorian hairstyle they can stick on attractive actresses to make them look plain? Since it's the same hairstyle every time... has this hairstyle passed into fanon or is it canon?
* I keep having my image of Mr. Rochester influenced by "Wide Sargasso Sea"... which, I consider to be fanfic despite the fact that it's a published and quite famous. The two novels were published with entirely different mindsets (and authors). I don't think Rhy's Rochester and Rhy's Bertha are the same as Bronte's Rochester and Bronte's Bertha... and yet, even considering Wide Sargasso Sea as professional fanfic, it seems to creep (negatively) into my impressions of Rochester.
Anyway, I don't think the lines of canon are always perfectly clear cut. In the case of Joss comics, the change in medium and the absense of actors makes the comic -- even if penned by Joss himself-- feel like it isn't canon... at least to me.
Canon or Not Canon, That is the Question
Jan. 25th, 2007 10:01 pmRan across the question of canon in another forum and thought that I would repost my musings here. Joss Whedon's Season 8 comics... canon or not?
Frankly, I wrestle with the concept of comics as tv fandom canon. It doesn't feel like canon. It simply feels like yet another variation of fanfic.
Understand, I have great respect for fanfic. It's just that with fanfic I compartmentalize in my head a bunch of different possible outcomes. I see the Joss-penned comic as one of those possible outcomes, but it doesn't feel like the only possible outcome. I know this is somewhat difficult to understand for those who are in the camp of "It's all about Joss." But, I'm not intellectualizing this. This feeling is from my gut. If it's not on screen it's not canon to me. This is especially true for the Season 8 comics because the chances are slim to none of my actually reading these comics (unless they're a heck of a lot more interesting than their ads have seemed).
I'm reminded of how, after Farscape went off air, one of the head writers of the show penned a post finale story that was then printed in the Farscape magazine. It was written by the guy who wrote the show, so you'd think "canon"... except when they actually did film a Farscape follow-up in the mini-series, it doesn't align with the magazine story at all. So, again, was the magazine story 'canon'? Not if you compare it to what aired on screen. What aired on screen is canon. That simple.
I take the same view with the comics. Yeah, it's interesting in that it's Joss-penned fanfic. It can have merit in its own right, but it's a different media and so... not canon to me.
Actually, on an entirely different subject, I was thinking a lot about canon this week. When I was watching the BBC production of Jane Eyre that is airing on Masterpiece Theater, two things sort of struck me.
* Why is Jane Eyre's hair the same godawful hairstyle in every on screen production? It's been years (okay, decades) since I read the book. Is that godawful hairstyle described in the book and that's why they always choose it? Or is it just a plain jane Victorian hairstyle they can stick on attractive actresses to make them look plain? Since it's the same hairstyle every time... has this hairstyle passed into fanon or is it canon?
* I keep having my image of Mr. Rochester influenced by "Wide Sargasso Sea"... which, I consider to be fanfic despite the fact that it's a published and quite famous. The two novels were published with entirely different mindsets (and authors). I don't think Rhy's Rochester and Rhy's Bertha are the same as Bronte's Rochester and Bronte's Bertha... and yet, even considering Wide Sargasso Sea as professional fanfic, it seems to creep (negatively) into my impressions of Rochester.
Anyway, I don't think the lines of canon are always perfectly clear cut. In the case of Joss comics, the change in medium and the absense of actors makes the comic -- even if penned by Joss himself-- feel like it isn't canon... at least to me.
Frankly, I wrestle with the concept of comics as tv fandom canon. It doesn't feel like canon. It simply feels like yet another variation of fanfic.
Understand, I have great respect for fanfic. It's just that with fanfic I compartmentalize in my head a bunch of different possible outcomes. I see the Joss-penned comic as one of those possible outcomes, but it doesn't feel like the only possible outcome. I know this is somewhat difficult to understand for those who are in the camp of "It's all about Joss." But, I'm not intellectualizing this. This feeling is from my gut. If it's not on screen it's not canon to me. This is especially true for the Season 8 comics because the chances are slim to none of my actually reading these comics (unless they're a heck of a lot more interesting than their ads have seemed).
I'm reminded of how, after Farscape went off air, one of the head writers of the show penned a post finale story that was then printed in the Farscape magazine. It was written by the guy who wrote the show, so you'd think "canon"... except when they actually did film a Farscape follow-up in the mini-series, it doesn't align with the magazine story at all. So, again, was the magazine story 'canon'? Not if you compare it to what aired on screen. What aired on screen is canon. That simple.
I take the same view with the comics. Yeah, it's interesting in that it's Joss-penned fanfic. It can have merit in its own right, but it's a different media and so... not canon to me.
Actually, on an entirely different subject, I was thinking a lot about canon this week. When I was watching the BBC production of Jane Eyre that is airing on Masterpiece Theater, two things sort of struck me.
* Why is Jane Eyre's hair the same godawful hairstyle in every on screen production? It's been years (okay, decades) since I read the book. Is that godawful hairstyle described in the book and that's why they always choose it? Or is it just a plain jane Victorian hairstyle they can stick on attractive actresses to make them look plain? Since it's the same hairstyle every time... has this hairstyle passed into fanon or is it canon?
* I keep having my image of Mr. Rochester influenced by "Wide Sargasso Sea"... which, I consider to be fanfic despite the fact that it's a published and quite famous. The two novels were published with entirely different mindsets (and authors). I don't think Rhy's Rochester and Rhy's Bertha are the same as Bronte's Rochester and Bronte's Bertha... and yet, even considering Wide Sargasso Sea as professional fanfic, it seems to creep (negatively) into my impressions of Rochester.
Anyway, I don't think the lines of canon are always perfectly clear cut. In the case of Joss comics, the change in medium and the absense of actors makes the comic -- even if penned by Joss himself-- feel like it isn't canon... at least to me.