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                          Frequently Asked Questions
                          (last revised May 1, 1994)

                            PART 4:  REGULAR SERIES


CONTENTS OF THIS PART:

1).  What is a series on Superguy?
2).  What is a plotline?
3).  What is a Regular Series?
4).  What is a Limited Series?
5).  What are the Regular Series?
6).  What is a Project?
7).  I have a great idea to further a Project along -- how do I go about
     posting it?
8).  How do I start a project?
9).  It seems like some series are more closely related to each other than
     others.  Why?
10). What is the Summer Hiatus and what are Summer Replacement Series?
11). Do I have to put my regular series on Summer Hiatus?

1)   What is a series on Superguy?

     A series is a group of interrelated posts on Superguy, usually written by
a single author or a specific group of authors, which are grouped together
under a common name (or title) and follow a numbering sequence to keep the
specific series continuity clear.  For example, when Lawrence Brown ("Amigoid")
decided to begin chronicling the adventures of a character called Spectrum, he
could have written a series of short stories about the character, with little
to no connection to each other, and little character development (classic
picaresque tales).  Realizing there was little point to this, he organized the
stories into a series called Spectrum, with each story worked into a continuity
that allowed for long term character development.
     Sometimes, a series title can be changed, to reflect alterations in the
cast or series.  This might or might not reset the numbering of the series back
to the beginning.  For example, Bill Dickson ("Pickle") had a series called
"Ramrod and High Jinx," which went several episodes.  When Dynamite Vest Man
joined the series, the title of the series changed to "Ramrod, High Jinx and
Dynamite Vest Man," and started over at episode one.  Then Rainy Day Woman
joined, and the series was reset at Episode One of the series "Ramrod, High
Jinx, Dynamite Vest Man and Rainy Day Woman."  The foursome then decided to for
the super group Team Cynical, and so the series changed to "Team Cynical,"
again starting over at Episode #1.
     In contrast, Eric Alfred Burns ("Lord Sabre") had a series called "Mighty
Guy."  After twelve or so issues, Mighty Guy joined a team of heroes called the
Adjusted League Unimpeachable.  Thus, the series was changed to "Mighty Guy
Starring the Adjusted League Unimpeachable," but the episode numbering remained
constant.  Later, the A.L.U. became "Mighty Guy and the Adjusted League
Unimpeachable," and then later "The Adventures of the Adjusted League
Unimpeachable" when Mighty Guy left the series.  The series numbers have
continued on, however.  Really, it's a matter of personal preference.


2)   What is a plotline?

     A Plotline (also called a Story Arc) is a specific story set within the
confines of a series.  Most Superguy plotlines take more than one post to
develop and resolve, so a Plotline tends to resemble a limited series within a
series, often with a unified title to each post in the Plotline.
     Most series can be broken down into a collection of Plotlines.

3)   What is a Regular Series?

     A Regular Series is a Series on Superguy which is open ended.  In other
words, a Regular Series does not end with the completion of a Plotline, but
instead moves on to the next plotline.  In this way, a Series can develop and
grow.
     In addition, a Regular Series can have Subplots.  Subplots are conflicts
and character interactions which (normally) have little to do with the main
plot of the Plotline, but which serve to enhance the interest of the series and
develop the characters within it.  It is easier to maintain subplots in a
Regular Series than in a collection of interrelated Limited Series.

4)   What is a Limited Series?

     A Limited Series is a Series which is designed to last to the completion
of a single Plotline.  This can be a relatively short plotline (such as
"Criticalman:  The Movie" written by Gary Olson ("the Swede")) or an extremely
long and complex storyline (such as "2035:  A Decidedly Different Superguy
Story" written by Eric Alfred Burns).  The idea behind a Limited Series is that
upon the completion of the main plot, the series will end.
     In some cases, an Author will base his adventures around a series of
interrelated Limited Series instead of a Regular Series.  In cases such as
these, it is easiest to consider those characters to be in a Regular Series
which doesn't happen to be numbered consecutively.  For example, Rob Furr ("The
Punk Without a Gun") is the Author of the various adventures starring the
Extreme Team.  To date, he has not chosen to write a series called "The Extreme
Team," but his limited series tend to be connected closely enough that we
include "The Extreme Team" as a regular series.
     In other cases, a Limited Series might be so long and complex that it
appears to be a Regular Series.  For example, "2035" is expected to run fifty
chapters or more.  In cases such as this, the Limited Series is considered a
Regular Series, simply for the sake of convenience.

5)   What are the Regular Series?

     The following are the Regular Series (in Alphabetical Order) being written
for Superguy as of this writing.  Bear in mind that the information in this
list is very volatile -- it is accurate as of the revision date above, but if
you read this on any following date, it may be incorrect.

The Adventures of the Adjusted League Unimpeachable
Andy Awesome and the Awesome Force
CalForce
Crapshoot and Company
The Defense Squad
Eric and Bart: The New Adventures of Scholarman and Ignorantman
The Extreme Team (actually a series of miniseries about these characters.  As
                 of this writing "Hard Times" and "The Quest for Planet Planet"
                 are the active series involving the Extreme Team)
Force Ten
Hero Patrol
The Historical Superguy (Another series of miniseries.  Currently including
                         "Dreadnought" and "The Home Front")
Marie
Pariah
The Punk with a Gun
Radian and Shadebeam
Sam and Burt:  Maverick Cops
Space Moose
Spectrum
Super 7
Two Guys and a Lemming
Team Cynical
2035


6)   What is a Project?

     Projects are special collections of Series that are temporarily or
permanently interrelated towards a specific goal.  Projects usually develop out
of a specific series and naturally attract other characters and series into it.
A Project usually involves more than two Authors, and the consequences of a
Project are usually broader than those of a normal series.  Projects are also
sometimes artificially created by a group of Authors who want to work with
other authors and who want to build up to a dramatic event.
     Past Projects on Superguy (both successful and unsuccessful) include the
Flatphoot Phollies (where the heroes of the list were drawn to Washington D.C.
to a fake Superhero Convention in order to kill them -- Dangerousman ended the
Phollies by blowing up Washington D.C.), The Akron Affair (where Dangerousman
and Scary Woman were trying to get her back to the Scary Dimension -- while the
Awesome Force, Solutions Unlimited, and Five Billion George Bushes got
involved), Songs of Darkness (the conclusion to 100 episodes of CalForce
Buildup, where Radian was transformed into a Dark Goddess, and CalForce, the
Defense Squad, Team Cynical, and (to a degree) the Awesome Force had to stop
her), the Bob City Crossover (where a team of Villains threatened Bob City, and
it was up to Spectrum, Team M.E.C.H.A., Force Ten, and others to stop them)
and the recent Industrial Revolution (where the heroes and villains of Superguy
organized along gray lines of war over the potential genocide of all Magi).
     Projects could also be said to encompass certain special undertakings
which could require a degree of coordination.  For example, The Historical
Superguy is a Project started by Rob Furr, to fill in some of the gaps and
alterations to Superguy's history.  Others have since either posted or
expressed an interest in posting to it.  There is no reason anyone who wanted
to couldn't add in a few posts, but care has to be taken to neither contradict
or usurp planned postings to it.  Thus, the Historical Superguy could be
considered a Project.

7)   I have a great idea to further a Project along -- how do I go about
posting it?

     Pretty much all projects have a coordinator -- someone (usually the fellow
whose idea it is) who is more or less in charge of a project as a whole.  If
you'd like to be a part of a Project, post an inquiry to the Superpen Superguy
Authors Mailing List asking about joining in.  If you haven't been associated
with Superguy long enough to be on Superpen, it's probably not a good idea to
jump into an existing project.

8)   How do I start a project?

     Pretty much the same way you start anything on Superguy -- you come up
with an idea.  If you specifically want to develop that idea into a Project,
bring up the possibility of it on Superpen, and see what support you can drum
up for it.  Bear in mind that many Authors might want to participate in theory,
but have too tight a plan for their series to actively join in.  Also, if there
are lots of goings on in the Altiverse right at the moment, you should probably
hold off, to prevent the continuity from getting too confusing.

9)   It seems like some series are more closely related to each other than
others.  Why?

     Superguy is an organic mailing list.  It has developed a rich history over
time, and its coherency of universe have come from both good storytelling and
communication between Authors.  Several authors are good friends both on and
off the net, and have a tendency to work with or respond to each others'
plotlines with greater regularity.  For example, Gary Olson ("the Swede") and
Eric Alfred Burns ("Lord Sabre") seem to enjoy writing together, which in turn
has brought their various stories closer together.  Thus, "Radian and
Shadebeam" and "Eric and Bart" have crossed over before, and characters from
their stories have shifted (Mighty Guy -- originally Eric's Character -- was
taken over by Gary, and Healer -- originally Gary's Character -- was taken over
by Eric).
     Further, some Authors have developed their series from elements of the
history that preceded it.  In these cases, the ties between stories are
understandable.  For example, Bill Dickson ("Pickle") wrote an adventure of
Dangerousman where he and a character called Ramrod fought and defeated a
Shuggoth on the University of Hartford campus.  Dominic White ("the Artiste")
used that battle to create a superhero group called the Awesome Force, which
included Ramrod as a member.  Bill Paul ("The Man with Two First Names") later
took over the writing of Awesome Force, bringing a character called Silly
Wizzard into it.  After ending the Awesome Force series, Bill Paul took that
character (renamed Ginsu 2000) and formed a sequel series called the Defense
Squad.  Bill Dickson took another character from the Awesome Force (High Jinx)
and eventually created a team called Team Cynical.  Dominic, meanwhile, brought
the Awesome Force out of retirement.
     So, that original story in the Dangerousman series has since then lead to
the three regular series "The Defense Squad," "Team Cynical," and "Andy Awesome
and the Awesome Force."  Obviously, three teams with that much common history
are going to be interrelated.
     In general, it's easiest to look at these various interrelated series as
though they were all being edited by one editor, in comic book terms.  Just as
the comic books "Iron Man," "War Machine" and "Force Works" are all
interconnected because of their history and because they share an editor, so it
is with Superguy series.
     This does *not* mean that related series will ever actually mention each
other.  Or that there will be more than lip service paid to their relation.
Each series is still individual in all ways.  Nor does this mean all the series
indicated are only related to those in their `group.'  One of the members of
the Adjusted League Unimpeachable, for example, originated in the Awesome
Force.
     Be that as it may, a (very) rough breakdown of the more closely connected
series are:

Lord Sabre/the Swede:  Adjusted League Unimpeachable, CalForce, Eric and Bart,
     Radian and Shadebeam, 2035

Artiste/The Man with Two First Names/Pickle:  Andy Awesome and the Awesome
     Force, the Defense Squad, Team Cynical

Robotech_Master/Gadge/Amigoid/Shadowywriter:  Force Ten, Space Moose, Spectrum,
     Crapshoot and Company, Marie

     Other series haven't shown a great tendency to be connected, as of this
writing.

10)  What is the Summer Hiatus and what are Summer Replacement Series?

     Although most of the Superguy Authors are not currently students, it is
recognized that the list in general is read mostly during the Academic Year.
Thus, by the end of May quite a percentage of our readership disappears until
the Fall.  As a result, many (if not most) of the Superguy Authors like to put
their Regular Series on Hiatus for the Summer.  They resolve current plotlines
and let it sit until September.  This way, the devoted Superguy readers don't
miss their favorite series.
     However, most Authors are still interested in writing, so the Summer
Replacement Series was developed.  These are Limited Series which usually
center on existing characters -- be they team members, background characters,
or characters who haven't been seen for a while.  These series are not as
significant to the list as a whole as regular series are, but instead flesh
out backgrounds, add to the character development, and generally provide a good
time for all concerned.
     The summer also tends to be a time of looser continuity, when stranger
stuff happens.
     Occasionally, Summer Replacement Series are made into regular series.

11)  Do I have to put my regular series on Summer Hiatus?

     Of course not.  You don't have to do anything (hey, it's not like you're
getting paid for this).  But it may be in your best interests to follow the
tradition.  People are a lot less likely to follow your series if they've
missed fifteen episodes in the summer, and they barely recognize it.