A call to arms

Would anyone be interested in trying something to get our creative juices flowing? Little challenges every month or so, where we try to write a chapter of a story, or a short story, or a piece of background? For example, "You have one month to write a piece of short fiction, told in the first person, from a villain's perspective", or, "you have two months to write a short story with the title, A Close Shave."

Might spark people's creativity a bit, and then if we got enough good stuff we could release it as an eBook or something?

I'd be interested in trying something like this. Not sure if I can write through a villain's POV, but depending on the challenge, I'll give it my best shot.

That sounds like a great idea. It seems this great site and the Forums don't get a lot of activity. Anything to keep things rolling would be great in my opinion. Even if I don't participate I'd read what anyone writes but who knows, may join in.

I think it would be fun, it wouldn't need to be serious

This could be fun. We could also try another character creation by committee thread. Or I also considerd some world building, with everyone contributing to a PD sandbox city setting that could be used in any and all stories, if someone needed it.

This is all sounds great.

Perhaps someone could start by suggesting the location as you say? An actual PD city or the like?

Maybe we can make use of Astro-Man? He hasn't seen any action yet I know about.

Stuff like telling different versions of the same character, in parallel universes, could be fun.

Setting stuff in the same universe would be great, we'd need to do some work on making the stories mesh though, keep them consistent. It would be great though. Maybe make a super-team, pick a character each, write a solo story, build up to the team forming?

@captainwhizz: I like the latter portion of your ideas there, sounds great.

Why don't you start the ball rolling?

If we're going to do it in a shared universe, which shared universe do we want? Shall we set up a new one? Anyone want it in there's? Or, we could do it in Mike's Ascension Epoch universe if people wanted?

@captainwhizz: Can we just choose a fictional PD city and go from there? Creating our own "universe" would probably make sense.

My suggestion is to choose a PD city or location and start with a hero or heroine you choose first since this was your idea to start.

Ok, so I think we need an era too, any preferences?

@captainwhizz: Hadn't given that much thought as I assumed it was going to be current or "Modern Times". I am OK with any era but I think we would have to constantly check our facts to make certain nothing is anachronistic, which could potentially be a bit laborious.

I don't think any specific year should be mentioned, just write everything as being current? Unless there is a desire to make the setting in the past? I am open to it, but not certain what GoldenBard, you, or anyone else may want.

OK, here's my idea- we do it like the Marvel and DC cinematic universes. Modern day, history has progressed pretty much as the real world has, up to a few years ago. Maybe a few costumed vigilantes back in the day, but nothing major (could have been kept secret). Then, a few years ago, something happened to trigger an increase in heroes? Maybe still some exist as urban legends (like Batman), or some who are special government agents (Hawkeye, Black Widow), others might be keeping a low profile (Jessica Jones). But something blows the whole thing into the spotlight, like Superman/ Thor. Potentially, something has destroyed a city, and it has been rebuilt into a shining "futuristic" city, probably with a brand new name.

Possibly, some event like Independence Day/ War of the Worlds/ The Chitauri invasion caused people with powers to come out of the woodwork; if we use an updated War of the Worlds, the "Martian" terraforming stuff could have triggered powers in people? It could be a brave new world, with modern versions of talking apes, lost lands with dinosaurs, etc, all caused by terraforming. That event could be the MacGuffin that sets the whole universe apart from our world.

@captainwhizz: That sounds fantastic. I love it. Very nice. Sounds like an incredible "sandbox" to play in! Great concept.

I intend to write at least one PD character in existence but tweak his or her description and the like.

Can't wait to read what you have in mind.

Excelsior!

I  think we could take PD classics and reinvent them, keep the names and powers for the most part, but put a modern spin on them. People like John Carter, Buck Rogers, etc. could be astronauts on a mission to Barsoom to ask for help against the alien attackers in case they come back? In fact, I may take that story.

@captainwhizz: Well I have been making use of a few PD characters in my "Cheapo Comics Universe" and have changed appearances, powers and abilities. Since they are PD, they are open for re-interpretation and use any way I want, which is great. I get some characters you may not want to change at all. For example, I really love the original Hydroman design and powers, and am using him for another project set towards the end of WWII and later in USA's history timeline.

Please start with your story as you are talking about doing. I will wait and then pitch my idea later after you get it going.

Sounds fun.

This sounds like fun; I just need to decide what character(s) I want to play with (I'm thinking Black Cobra, Skyman, and Avenger might be possibilities).

Can I suggest that we use Empire City (http://pdsh.wikia.com/wiki/Empire_City) as our setting?

I've started my story; it's set in Florida at the moment, purely because that's where the launch site is, but I haven't actually named any locations. My story is going to be pretty short, more of an introduction to the setting and to my characters (John Carter and Anthony Rogers) as they prepare to launch on the Earth's diplomatic mission to Barsoom. I was thinking of having Barsoom be a different planet to Mars, as well as having the "Martìan" invaders from War of the Worlds be from an unknown planet.

We could have Empire City as an NYC substitute, it fits with the "Empire State" nickname of New York state. It could be our Metropolis?

All this sounds really good. I like the idea of having "Barsoom" as a separate planet from Mars, very unique.

Empire City, Empire State, both great.

If I can, I'd like to use the character Defender and set him in Empire City.

In my Whizzverse, I have the characters assume Barsoom is Mars at first, because of the overall red colour, so I guess it's not too big a leap just to have it as a separate planet in a 'modernised' setting.

My story so far begins with two astronauts sitting outside a bar, discussing the world since the invasion, and then will move on to them in space, travelling to Barsoom.

I will probably have some small references, like newspaper headlines, news reports, etc, mentioning superhero activity, so if you want me to throw in anything regarding characters you've picked, just let me know.

@captainwhizz: I will wait to write anything. No concerns on my end yet for references to my take on the Defender. That is accommodating on your end.

Perhaps Barsoom is a "counter Earth" (always on the opposite side of the sun from Earth), but in Mars' orbit? (Astrophysically this makes no sense and would never work, but I didn't think we were too worried about the nitty gritty details of reality.)

Does anyone remember that film where astronauts leave the Earth for some mission, then they come back, and everyone's like, "How come you're back in half the time? Have you been slacking?" Ultimately, it turns out they're on a "Counter-Earth", which is confirmed because their organs are ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE!!! to everyone else. I think I saw it as a kid, I'm assuming it was meant to be mind-blowing.

I'm just going to have some unexplained hyperspace mechanic. I'm going to say that Barsoom is the nearest planet with (friendly) intelligent life, and they contact us because the attempted invasion of Earth alerts them to our existance. I'm not going to make any reference to locations, distances, travelling time, nearest star, or anything like that, because I think it leads to mistakes and makes it harder for continuity.

Cpt. W,

What do you think about the version of the tv series, WotW where the 1953 film continues where it left off in 1995, the aliens aren't dead, merely in stasis and the events of 1953 are considered to be mass hysteria?

What if the original HG Wells' novel DID happen in England as well in 1888, then in 1938 (the radio broadcast by Orson Welles) is a cover for the real invasion attempt, then in '53, the aliens attempt another invasion with updated tech to differentiate the 1888 from the 1953 version?

In my head, each new broadcast that occurs (there were two or three updates of the WotW in the 1970s) were coverups for yet another attempt, possibly a different race from the Martians in 1938 and 1953, and the Mortaxians in the 1995 tv series.

Each time an attempt occurs, the general population nearest the landings is neuralized, a nod to MiB, so everyone forgets and the only people that know the truth are the intelligence agencies, the heroes and other major characters in this shared universe?

http://waroftheworlds.wikia.com/wiki/War_of_the_Worlds_(TV_series)

If it doesn't work, no worries, it's just funny how different people have different takes on a subject at the same time. Nice to know I'm not the only one that liked WotW.

(The counter Earth thing could be a way to detect if someone has been killed, or other calamity. If they submit to an exam and they didn't know there was a difference, the counter earth (CE) characters would know whether or not to trust the other characters.)

Just my two cents.

My story so far seems to be a lot of exposition and not much plot, I can't decide if I like it. I guess that if it's the introductory story then it's ok.

The idea of several invasion attempts is pretty cool, or at least advance parties.