A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Moderators: Bookworm, starkruzr, MrFireDragon, PrettyPrincess, Wapsi

User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

I've threatened to do it, and I finally found some time to sit down and actually write some stuff out.

As there has been an increase in the amount of fan fiction and stories based in the Waspi Square universe, I figured that I should point out a few things that need to be remembered when writing a story based in a universe that has been built upon for nearly a decade and a half.

This brief Guide is intent on helping those who want to write about the "Wapsiverse" to know some of the basics of what is happening, what's available, and what's realistic to expect while interacting with the characters and places in Paul Taylor's universe.

The primary areas we'll deal in:
  • Geography and Geology
  • History
  • Society and Social Life
  • Myths vs. Reality
  • Supernaturals
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

Geography and Geology

First: Minneapolis is the larger of the Twin Cites of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is located west of the Minnesota State Capital city, bordered by the Mississippi River on the east.

The Mississippi bends about halfway between the two cities, feeding into the Minnesota River at Fort Snelling (by the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport). It heads north, then begins a slight bend to the northwest, where it divides the city of Minneapolis into four parts: the West Bank, Downtown, the University Campus, and the St. Anthony Falls area.

St. Anthony Falls is the only true waterfall on the upper Mississippi River. A lock and dam operation allows for shipping further up the river.

The falls made Minneapolis a natural location for mills and other places that required electricity. As a result, General Mills still has its main offices in the Twin Cities.

There are a handful of lakes in the city of Minneapolis proper: Lake Hiawatha (surrounded by a golf course), Lake Nokomis, Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun (familiar to most Wapsi readers), Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, Brownie Lake and Wirth Lake. There is a surprising amount of green space – with woods and paths and such – that fills the city and its environs. In fact, there is a major "bikeway" through the central part of the city A series of rail-to-trail paths have made it where you could easily bike from one part of the city to the other.

Most of the locations where the cast of Wapsi Square interact with each other is in the area south of downtown, roughly bounded by Hennepin Avenue on the west, I-35 West on the east, and down towards the Minnehaha Creek area. Some places, like the Galleria in Edina and even the Mall of America are mentioned.

Minneapolis has a history of being cold for a good chunk of the year. By the end of November, temperatures are going to be pretty much at or below freezing (32°F or 0°C), and won't rise above those temps without risking large quantities of snow falling.

December through March in Minneapolis is generally cold and dry. Temperatures can and will vary by as much as 30°F (16.7°C) from day to night. Any way that you can get out of the cold during these time frames is preferable to braving the cold. It's also the reason why many of the building in downtown Minneapolis have "skywalks" connecting them, so people don't need to go outside when going from place to place.

Streets are laid out a bit strange, as downtown Minneapolis' street grid orients to the river, not to north-south lines. Therefore, you'll see a lot of references to "Stevens Avenue Southwest" or "Third Street South". Once you get past the interstates and rivers, the layout is pretty straight-forward.

The Twin Cities have a lot of Interstates meeting together in the area. I-35 splits just south of the Twin Cities to become 35W (into Minneapolis) and 35E (going into Saint Paul). The main artery through both cities is Interstate 94; the southern "bypass" is I-494 (which goes past the Mall of America and the airport) and I-694 (which loops around to the north, rejoining I-94 after crossing the Mississippi).

Below are some names of cities/towns you will come across in the region.

Minneapolis:
• Maple Grove
• Brooklyn Park
• Brooklyn Center
• Roseville
• St. Anthony
• Edina
• Richfield
• Bloomington
• Eden Prairie
• Minnetonka
• Hopkins
• St. Louis Park
• Wayzata
• Plymouth
• New Hope

St. Paul:
• New Brighton
• Vadnais Heights
• North St. Paul
• White Bear Lake
• Gem Lake
• Mahtomedi
• Stillwater
• Oak Park Heights
• Lakeland
• Hudson, Wisconsin*
• Lake Elmo
• Oakdale
• Maplewood
• Woodbury
• South St. Paul
• Mendota Heights
• West St. Paul
• Fort Snelling

* – Hudson – is on the other side of the St. Croix River from Minnesota, but because of its proximity to the Twin Cities, it is considered a suburb of Saint Paul.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

History

The Dakota Sioux had already founded a settlement on the shores of the Mississippi at its confluence with the Minnesota centuries before the first European explorers reached the area (around 1680).

A note: There is some disagreement over whether or not Nordic peoples visited the area in the 1300's. Though the Kensington Runestone has been considered a hoax since practically its discovery, there are many who believe that Swedish explorers may have reached the state in the 1360's.

The US Government constructed Fort Snelling in 1819, and shortly thereafter the US government organized the area of the Northwest Territory west of the St. Croix River. The Fort would become a turning point in the road to the Civil War, as Dred Scott's lawsuit was initiated there.

As was typical of the time, most of the trade on the river was of lumber from the north woods of Minnesota. However, a man by the name of John H. Stevens realized that the flow of the river over the St. Anthony Falls would make for an idea mill site. Stevens bought up the land on the west side of the river, and established the city of Minneapolis in the 1850's. After the Civil War, Minneapolis would absorb the city of St. Anthony on the opposite side of the falls.

In July of 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state of the Union, with Saint Paul as the seat of the state government.

The Civil War saw the state fighting on two fronts: one with about 22,000 regulars who fought against the CSA, and another where the state fought with the Dakotas in 1862.

The city gained a reputation as a center for milling and flour production with the natural water power providing the source for the grinding wheels and production. In the mid-1850's, Cad Washburn founded the company that would go on to become General Mills. In the 1870's Washburn's mills dominated the city's skyline, as did Charles Pillsbury's mill across the river. Pillsbury's Mill was still running until shortly after the beginning of Wapsi Square's run.

Civil rights and workers rights were at the forefront in Minneapolis, especially under the direction of Hubert H. Humphrey – who began his political career as the mayor of the city in the 1940's. The city, like much of the state of Minnesota, tends to lean heavily towards Democratic and liberal politics.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

Society and Social Life

The city of Minneapolis is known for its love of the arts – musically, visually, architecturally, and otherwise. The very museum that Monica worked at was really the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts. The whole area around Stevens Square has a very "Bohemian" sense to it, hosting artists and creative types.

The music scene in Minneapolis is huge, with plenty of acts from rock to R&B to punk to ska. The most well known of the performers, of course, is that guy who has changed his name frequently (including some weird, unpronounceable symbol) and fought over the rights to his songs (which, due to copyright issues, will probably never be mentioned in Wapsi Square). He helped make some venues, like First Avenue, into major music hot spots. Bands like Husker Du and the Replacements have also made it big in the music business, as have Morris Day & The Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

There is a greater mix of people in the Twin Cities, when it comes to race and ethnicity, than a century ago. However, it's more likely you will run into someone who is white, Lutheran, and has a Nordic background.

Though the Mall of America is a huge part of the area's business scene, it is generally seen as a "tourist trap" among area residents. They are more likely to shop at local stores or at pre-existing malls. The Galleria in Edina is one of those.

As for sports: the Twins (baseball's American League) and the Timberwolves (NBA) play at facilities across the I-395 freeway from each other – both named for Target, the modern department store chain that evolved from Dayton-Hudson. (George Dayton established Dayton's Dry Goods on the corner of Nicollet and 7th in 1902; he would start the "discount" version of his company, Target, in 1962.) The Vikings of the NFL will begin play at US Bank Stadium, on the site of the old Metrodome, in 2016.

Minnesota has a reputation as being the "State of Hockey", with more players from the state playing professionally than any other. The state has an active and popular junior hockey program – one that the movie The Mighty Ducks only hints at – and with top-tier hockey squads at the U of M and various smaller colleges around the state, the moniker fits. However, the state's second NHL team, the Wild, play their home games over in Saint Paul at the Xcel Energy Center.

The area's original NHL team, the North Stars, played at the Metropolitan Sports Center, or "The Met", from 1967 until their departure for Dallas in 1993. The Met was located – ironically – just east of the current site of the IKEA store by the Mall of America. The Mall itself sits on the site of Metropolitan Stadium, the one-time home of the Twins and Vikings until the Metrodome was opened in 1982.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

History (continued)

In recent years, Minneapolis was the site of two accidents – one that only left the city with a black eye, the other a distinct tragedy. In the mid-1980's, the city's then-new Metrodome featured a Teflon inflatable roof. After several particularly heavy winter storms, part of the roof panels tore, resulting in depressurization of the roof. The damage to the stadium was minor, due to redundancy issues (an interior support system kept the roof from "catastrophic failure"), and the repairs were made before the Twins season opener that spring. The roof would experience at least one more panel issue in 2010 before it was completely deflated prior to demolition in January of 2014.

In August of 2007, the Interstate highway bridge carrying I-35W across the Mississippi above the St. Anthony Falls collapsed due to catastrophic failure of its support system. The bridge was undergoing deck repairs at the time, which caused overloading of the supports. 13 people died and 145 more were injured in the collapse. The bridge was reopened by September of the following year.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

Myths & Reality
The overwhelming theme of Wapsi Square is that things are not what they seem to be. The various ancient mythologies, from Greece to Rome to Asia to the Americas, have tinges of truth to them – but much of what we have heard down the ages is mostly PR and story-telling.

An example is from the storyline where Phix forcibly removes Nudge from Tina's "demon collective" (October 2010). Apparently the story of Oedipus meeting the Sphinx of Thebes was a bit exaggerated. Nudge provided Oedipus with a book that would defeat the Sphinx – it was the book that held her "punishment" of remaining at the Library. Phix was the unlucky one on duty that day, and when she went to slash Oedipus to death, he held up the book. Slashing the book to shreds caused Nudge's punishment to cease… and things went south from there.

Another case is the story of Medusa. Euryale (her slightly older sister) related to Shelly that the whole thing about Perseus beheading her wasn't true; Athena did have a bounty on her head, but Perseus apparently collected it by catching his lover's visage in the reflection of a shield.

The greatest example of myth and reality being separate (at least in the Wapsiverse) is that of the Lanthian civilization. In "our" reality, the myth of the lost continent of Atlantis is based upon a single epic poem about its sinking into the ocean. In the Wapsiverse, its destruction was caused by the creation of the chimera by its high priests and rulers. The Lanthians (and their successors, the Etheitians) had advanced sufficiently to the point where technology and biology had synthesized into one – their very DNA had powered the grand machines they had built. Sadly, their destruction came at the hands of the chimera, as they lost control of it due to its rage and hatred.

The major mythological being at the center of the Wapsiverse is that of the golem. The basic premise – a being made of clay and mud, created with the ashes of a human being and "animated" to create an indestructible and immortal creature – is the reason for the existence of five of the current cast members. In addition to Mayahuel and Jin, there are Bud, Brandi, and Tepoztecal. (It was revealed through secondary sources that Tepoz was a "prototype" golem made by May out of the ashes of a weasel.)

The other main aspect of the Wapsiverse mythos is something called a "World Grid". A construct developed by Brandi (while "possessed" by a Nu Gui – long story), the grid keeps the so-called "elder gods" from interfering with the earth. The only thing known for certain about this grid is that it is the primary reason why the mythological gods of various peoples (Hindu, Greek, Inca, China, etc.) no longer run around, interfering with the lives of humans. There are apparent "gaps" in the grid, in places like the Bermuda Triangle and the Mapimi Silent Zone. These places have caused consternation to those in the supernatural community.

The creation of the grid led to a major volcanic explosion about 4,300-plus years BCE, leaving most of the earth uninhabitable. Most of this was intentional on the part of Nu Gui-possessed Brandi, to punish those who had turned her into a golem. It also meant that anyone who wasn't a golem was killed, save for a very few.

One other thing should be noted: in the Wapsiverse, the calendar has "repeated" itself 57 times, with the current version being iteration 57. This "time loop" begins roughly around 562 CE and continues through until 2012 CE, when the Calendar Machine "resets". The Machine was created by Mayahuel in a last-ditch attempt to help her daughter Jin overcome her temporal schizophasia. It wasn't until late 2008 in the 57th timeline that Monica, Shelly and the golems managed to "fix" the Calendar Machine by removing it from this universe.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

Supernaturals
Phix wrote:"There are supernaturals who would give everything to join society so openly as flying through the city! But they don't have the luxury of being the 'queens' of earth! You two have the option of humility. They're the recipients of bigotry and fear! A cockiness and bigotry that I had, that I still need to get over! Don't be like me. Be better than me!

"Not too long ago, I was the type who would execute any vampire on the spot! But two months ago, two vampires went further than I thought they were capable of in protecting other who could do nothing for them in return. I'll go as far as to say that their work resulted in the adoption of two lovely young paranormals. Paranormals who would be executed on the spot if mortals knew of their existence. Their safety relies on staying hidden.

"There's a complicated and very delicate balance in place. You see, humans know paranormals exist. Neither paranormals nor humans push this relationship. As crazy as it sounds, it works. Some humans ignore the existence of paranormals, calling us myths. Others say we're the work of the 'devil'. Other humans quietly coexist with us. And just because you two could take the armies of the world and win, you have to remember there are paranormals who would not be as safe as you two. People would take their fears out on them."
14-16 August 2013
The idea of mythical beings existing in the Wapsiverse didn't actually begin until Monica was taken to the Library by Brandi in November of 2006. Until that point, only demons were discussed in detail – and they were seen mostly as parasites (except in the strange case of one Tina Guzman). With the introduction of Phix, an entire universe of beings who live among humans but try their best to hide their true nature, were incorporated into the storyline.

The general feeling of paranormal society, as laid out in Phix's speech, is that their existence relies heavily on remaining "hidden" from the view of humans. To do this, they rely on something known variously as "transforming" or (among some beings) "glamour" that makes them appear human. It is implied that this is a learned skill among paranormals. Not all of them can do it well enough to "hide in plain sight" – witness Castela's difficulties in maintaining her human form, though she is only about seven or eight years of age.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
Warrl
Posts: 1723
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 10:44 pm

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by Warrl »

I'm pretty sure Castela is 5. At last report she's still in kindergarten.
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

Some "personal observations" about recent strips:
  • Nadette and Berdine's home, from all that we've seen, has a log-cabin-like feel. This is not unusual in Minnesota, as luxury homes with this type of design are at a premium. I would suspect that the house is located on the outskirts of the Twin Cities, perhaps to the north - which is about where the so-called "North Woods country" of Minnesota starts.
  • The cabin where the two girls are hanging out for the holidays is probably located up in the Bemidji area - which is further north than Wisconsin. It's a trendy place for a cabin or lodge - usually one you timeshare or rent out part of the year.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
FreeFlier
Posts: 2492
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:33 pm
Location: Land of the webbed feet

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by FreeFlier »

jwhouk wrote:Some "personal observations" about recent strips:
  • Nadette and Berdine's home, from all that we've seen, has a log-cabin-like feel. This is not unusual in Minnesota, as luxury homes with this type of design are at a premium. I would suspect that the house is located on the outskirts of the Twin Cities, perhaps to the north - which is about where the so-called "North Woods country" of Minnesota starts.
  • The cabin where the two girls are hanging out for the holidays is probably located up in the Bemidji area - which is further north than Wisconsin. It's a trendy place for a cabin or lodge - usually one you timeshare or rent out part of the year.
I would suspect that "a country place" becomes a near-necessity for ursamorphs . . . how do they handle cities? Some would handle it by periodic wilderness camping, but if they can afford it . . .

--FreeFlier
User avatar
Sgt. Howard
Posts: 3331
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:54 pm
Location: Malott, Washington

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by Sgt. Howard »

jwhouk wrote:
The idea of mythical beings existing in the Wapsiverse didn't actually begin until Monica was taken to the Library by Brandi in November of 2006. Until that point, only demons were discussed in detail – and they were seen mostly as parasites (except in the strange case of one Tina Guzman). With the introduction of Phix, an entire universe of beings who live among humans but try their best to hide their true nature, were incorporated into the storyline.
Actually, the paranormal was hinted at in the second and third cartoon where Amanda fusses with a 'voodoo' doll and Shelly's leg is pulled up- mind you, I doubt Paul was thinking in terms of the wapsiverse we know today... I'm sure it was just a cheap gag that made us all laugh. But even so, Monica encounters Tepoz before she goes to the library or even encounters the Golem Girls, so I can only imagine he'd been thinking about the supernatural for a while
Rule 17 of the Bombay Golf Course- "You shall play the ball where the monkey drops it,"
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
User avatar
DinkyInky
Posts: 2382
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 9:38 am
Location: Where there's more than Corn.
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by DinkyInky »

Sgt. Howard wrote:
jwhouk wrote:
The idea of mythical beings existing in the Wapsiverse didn't actually begin until Monica was taken to the Library by Brandi in November of 2006. Until that point, only demons were discussed in detail – and they were seen mostly as parasites (except in the strange case of one Tina Guzman). With the introduction of Phix, an entire universe of beings who live among humans but try their best to hide their true nature, were incorporated into the storyline.
Actually, the paranormal was hinted at in the second and third cartoon where Amanda fusses with a 'voodoo' doll and Shelly's leg is pulled up- mind you, I doubt Paul was thinking in terms of the wapsiverse we know today... I'm sure it was just a cheap gag that made us all laugh. But even so, Monica encounters Tepoz before she goes to the library or even encounters the Golem Girls, so I can only imagine he'd been thinking about the supernatural for a while
WS tagline used to read "A girl, her dog, and the Aztec God of Alcohol" for a long time.
Yanno how some people have Angels/Devils for a conscience? I have a Dark Elf ShadowKnight and a Half Elf Ranger for mine. The really bad part is when they agree on something.

Aphyon chu kissa whol l'jaed.
--Safyr Drathmir
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

Writing tips time:

I've had varying amounts of success with characters who perhaps are on the "fringe" of the Wapsiverse. Case in point: the character that Sarge dubbed "Billens" in his story about The Elixir. He was just a flunky extra MIB agent - but then, I realized a couple of things as I was reading his story: first of all, he fit the mold of the guy in the introduction of Lily to Brandi who uttered the famous "Salted Caramel Latte Popsicle". Second, as an MIB agent, he'd have to be physically capable of keeping up with the paranormal world.

That led into a whole slew of ideas - the "disinterested, seen-it-all-before" federal agent, in the mold of J from the movie. And, I had him paired up (on occasion) with Suzie, as he's dealt with her before. That's another big tip: lock in someone to an existing "main" character in the strip. Someone who knows Katherine and Monica from the Museum, or has run into Jin at Club Cerberus - or the old standby (which is how I got my start) of dropping in at Mucho Mocha. You could even have someone "accidentally" finding a Library portal - and the ensuing interaction with Phix. (Don't forget the riddle...)

Back to Billens: I'd toyed with this idea of the Wapsiverse, 150 years prior to today. It was kind of a combination of wanting to write about my great-great grandfather, and meeting all sorts of people who would be tangentially connected to others in the strip. And then, the idea came to me - bring Billens into it.

It took me a while of collaborating and explaining to Sarge, but we got it down to where Billens was not only older than his Cornelius character, but he was the primary subject of Homer's epic Illiad: Achilles of Macedon, son of Thetis. Whereas the story goes that the Achilles of legend was killed by a spear to his heel, the "truth" was that he never died. His anger, however, was consumed by this man who seemed to always be on the "opposite" side of the battle as he - the Centurion Cornelius.

This led into his emergence as one of those who convinced the nascent US government to develop a part of the U.S. Marshalls service to the devotion of "Special Investigations" - which led, eventually, to the formation of the MIB. And, he also decided to drop the name as part of his ruse.

So - out of a two-scene character in Paul's strip, we developed a character who has a long, storied past (one that I'm sure we could go into again at some future point), who can slip in and out of any Wapsiverse story when needed, and - as the cherry on top, one I never intended but fits - is the "uncle" of Devyn (indirectly).

Granted, this stuff doesn't come overnight, but when it does - watch out.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

The Pitfall of Writing Fan Fiction:

Okay, so you've come up with this great story - a huge wedding that features weird people and a big fight scene and spawns about 20 different stories. You're all satisfied with your works...

...And then Paul informs us all in one strip that the two characters you married off broke up. :(

Yes, this sort of stuff happens. It doesn't diminish your work in the past, but it does hurt sometimes. Don't take it personally - remember, the strip is Paul's story, not yours. We're just visitors here on this nice place Paul's set up for us.
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
Sgt. Howard
Posts: 3331
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:54 pm
Location: Malott, Washington

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by Sgt. Howard »

jwhouk wrote:The Pitfall of Writing Fan Fiction:

Okay, so you've come up with this great story - a huge wedding that features weird people and a big fight scene and spawns about 20 different stories. You're all satisfied with your works...

...And then Paul informs us all in one strip that the two characters you married off broke up. :(

Yes, this sort of stuff happens. It doesn't diminish your work in the past, but it does hurt sometimes. Don't take it personally - remember, the strip is Paul's story, not yours. We're just visitors here on this nice place Paul's set up for us.
Is Paul contemplating a break-up between Shelly and Justin?
Rule 17 of the Bombay Golf Course- "You shall play the ball where the monkey drops it,"
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
User avatar
GlytchMeister
Posts: 3733
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 2:52 pm
Location: Central Illinois
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by GlytchMeister »

I've always just considered those types of conflicts to be something like an "alternate continuity." Our own timeline, our own stories, set in his universe, occasionally interacting with his characters. The presence of our characters causes a butterfly effect that drastically changes things. So... Fanon and canon are just as legitimate to me... I just treat them as different stories.

Though that one time when he almost completely destroyed John's main source of fuel was a close call.
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
User avatar
Sgt. Howard
Posts: 3331
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:54 pm
Location: Malott, Washington

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by Sgt. Howard »

It is an interesting point to ponder- any one of us get inspired to branch off and create our own world in this guise (webcomix) and suddenly find ourselves subject to this same treatment (or abuse?) from our own fan base... how ought we handle it? I imagine much would depend on how invasive the story becomes. I originally expected Buck and Kathy to have a wild fling and date for a spell with little/no consequence... then that whole borderline 'R' rated episode spilled out and I decided to make an honest woman out of her. Paul still has her single- and I would not presume to tell him how to manage his creations... but if he introduced Buck into the storyline, I would only be sooo proud.
But that's for him to decide... and all of us need to remember that... especially me. I have done more damage to his world than anybody else.
Rule 17 of the Bombay Golf Course- "You shall play the ball where the monkey drops it,"
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
User avatar
jwhouk
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:58 am
Location: The Valley of the Sun, Arizona
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by jwhouk »

I dunno, Glytch is doing a good job himself...

No, Paul isn't considering a Shel-Justin breakup AFAIK. However, I saw the panel of girly-girl Shelly today (1/7/16) and thought, what if Paul just had the two of them elope?
"Character is what you are in the dark." - D.L. Moody
"You should never run from the voices in your head. That's how you give them power." - Jin
User avatar
Sgt. Howard
Posts: 3331
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:54 pm
Location: Malott, Washington

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by Sgt. Howard »

jwhouk wrote:I dunno, Glytch is doing a good job himself...

No, Paul isn't considering a Shel-Justin breakup AFAIK. However, I saw the panel of girly-girl Shelly today (1/7/16) and thought, what if Paul just had the two of them elope?

... but then... I wouldn't have an excuse to develop my MAXI-14 in .50 BMG... BWAAAAAAH!!! An, an, Glytch couldn't make his EMP generator... wait... is that a bad thing?
Rule 17 of the Bombay Golf Course- "You shall play the ball where the monkey drops it,"
I speak fluent Limrick-
the Old Sgt.
User avatar
GlytchMeister
Posts: 3733
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 2:52 pm
Location: Central Illinois
Contact:

Re: A Writer's Guide to the Wapsiverse

Post by GlytchMeister »

Sgt. Howard wrote:
jwhouk wrote:I dunno, Glytch is doing a good job himself...

No, Paul isn't considering a Shel-Justin breakup AFAIK. However, I saw the panel of girly-girl Shelly today (1/7/16) and thought, what if Paul just had the two of them elope?

... but then... I wouldn't have an excuse to develop my MAXI-14 in .50 BMG... BWAAAAAAH!!! An, an, Glytch couldn't make his EMP generator... wait... is that a bad thing?
:twisted:

You'll see. I'm not done with it.
He's mister GlytchMeister, he's mister code
He's mister exploiter, he's mister ones and zeros
They call me GlytchMeister, whatever I touch
Starts to glitch in my clutch!
I'm too much!
Post Reply