Fiction from the 76th!

I often wonder whether fiction, written by members of the 76th Battalion for other browncoats is technically 'fan fiction' as it would be if it were about the 'verse and characters created by Joss Whedon? I mean we are essentially writing about events which are laid out in Joss Whedon's timeline and from the point of view that they are established 'facts' and in many cases 'canon' to the 'verse in which Firefly and Serenity are set, and yet they are about characters and details of events which we have created ourselves!



The fact that we can be fans with a visual presence at conventions and in the general populace (attending events such as 'Can't Stop the Serenity' in uniform, for example) and can also turn our creative skills to producing fiction about the characters we portray in our uniforms, is really something empowering! A lot of people might have discovered a TV show they liked and said to themselves, "what a shame it was cancelled, it looked really good" but we have stepped up and said, "No! This is one show that really and truly ought not to have been cancelled! Fox made a huge mistake and we want people to know it!" Hopefully we shall reach out to people, including those who are in a position to actually do something, in the form of bringing us more of the stories Joss Whedon had in mind when he started on this amazing journey! We are not taking this lying down, coz we relate to the 'browncoat' element! The 'never leave a man behind' attitude that makes Zoe and Mal the leaders they are in the TV show.



When you take a concept like the 76th Battalion, and attempt to describe it to folk who are not into programs like 'Firefly' or movies like 'Serenity', it can be challenging to define. We are not just a group of fans who talk about the show. We are not just an 'online community'. We aren't sitting back and chatting among ourselves, we are active! In promoting the Firefly phenomenon, we are also connecting with other wonderful groups which were inspired by the TV show and the movie! The 76th Battalion, for instance, are one of the groups and organisations who sponsored prizes for the 2008 'Can't Stop the Serenity' event, an anual screening of 'Serenity' in cities all over the world, to raise money for 'Equality Now', and also for various local charities such as homeless shelters, children's hospitals, public libraries and food banks.



So, back to my original question. When we turn to our creative side and start to write fiction to 'flesh out' the history of the 76th Battalion, as we envisage it, in the timeline established by Joss Whedon, are we writing 'fan fiction', or are we just writing fiction?



If we were writing stories about the crew of 'Firefly' after the 'War of Unification' and incorporating characters and events, places and features which were already established by Joss Whedon, and the incredible writing staff at Mutant Enemy, then there would be no doubt that what we create as fans is, 'fan fiction'. In writing about a group of characters who come from all manner of fictitious backgrounds, who are essentially the product of our own imagination and whom we embelish with details that fit into Joss's 'verse, we are really writing original fiction. The "76th" might have been mentioned in the pilot episode (albeit in a later-deleted scene) but as far as any of the group are aware, there was never any 'fleshing out' of a history for them (nor, as far as we can tell, for the 57th Overlanders, the battalion which Malcolm Reynolds and Zoe Alleyne belong to). Essentially, the members of the 76th Battalion, under the experienced guidence of SMG "Doc Jubal" Harris, have added detail to the most basic of timelines for the war and it's battles. Members of the group have taken their character profiles and told stories to make them more real, and more life-like. Stories which have engendered greater loyalty for members of the 76th Battalion...



Stories which have brought to life events in the history of the setting for the TV series 'Firefly'.



This is the reason I still refer to the fiction; written by members of the 76th Battalion, about characters created for the 76th Battalion and enjoyed by members of the 76th Battalion; as 'Fan Fiction'. If you ever chance to read some of it, I think you'll agree with me, it is of high quality and brings a creative, human element to our endeavors. Best of all, it gives the 'verse of Joss Whedon and the team at Mutant Enemy, a continuing evolution. When we hear the Battle of Serenity Valley mentioned, it conjures up images and events only previously conceived as brief scenes in the TV pilot, 'Serenity', or in the flashbacks of what became the penultimate episode, 'The Message'.



I like to think that Joss, in his generous way, will allow us this indulgence, because he gave us a vision, which we caught that vision and ran with! I don't think there's any better flattery than that in the saying, of which "imitation" is its sincerest form.... unless it's fan fiction!