Power Play (Professionals story)

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The Professionals Fanfiction
Title: Power Play
Author(s): Stuartsky
Date(s): late 1980 or early 1981
Length:
Genre:
Fandom: The Professionals
External Links:

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The first UK Pros slash circuit story may be the 7-page story "Power Play" by Stuartsky. [1] [2]

first page of the story

Note: in some indexes and as recounted by some early fans, the story is listed or remembered as "Powerplay," Power Play," and "Powergame."

The Earliest Known Pros Stories

Power Play or Consequences?

Some fans have assumed that Consequences was the first B/D story because it is the most well-known of the very earliest stories. Compare discussion at this thread[4] at blueamaranthe's livejournal; comments from Felicity Parkinson[5] quoted by metabolick that "Powerplay as the first Hatstand (B/D) story written and its sequel Deathgame. Both were by Stuartsky", comments here on thread[6] by metabolick and msmoat's comment here that she had always been told[7] that O. Yardley wrote the first Pros slash story.

Reactions and Reviews

2009

The author claims that this was the first Pros slash story ever. Certainly, it was one of the first. It’s interesting to see which tropes in the fandom were begun at this early stage: two seemingly straight guys get together in an act of violence and discover that they turn each other on sexually is one....This and its sequel were actually not as badly written as I was expecting. The author claims that this was the first Pros slash story ever. Certainly, it was one of the first. It’s interesting to see which tropes in the fandom were begun at this early stage: two seemingly straight guys get together in an act of violence and discover that they turn each other on sexually is one. Also, we have Doyle’s “fallen angel features” and his propensity for malapropisms (he says harry-carry instead of hara-kiri, which B corrects). This and its sequel were actually not as badly written as I was expecting.[8]

As possibly one of the first stories in the fandom, I'm sure that any story was considered welcome. This story felt pre-show as they were still setting partner rules. The idea that Bodie is a butch fella trying to dominant his partner in all way seems so far-fetched to me to truly enjoy fic. Power sex and claming that if Doyle got off he liked it - and Doyle believing it was off character. Then again, for me the whole fic was off character. Yet I am glad I read it. I would have loved to be in the conversations that birthed these ideas. [9]

I thought this was an interesting premise but was left essentially unexplored. However, this may be the closest we can come to narrowing down what might be the very first circulated story in Prosdom, and for that alone I find it fascinating. the power dynamic between these two tough alpha males -- both used to being the sexual aggressor and dominating partner -- was of curiosity right from the first, just as you'd expect. Alas, I had no sense of the voice or personalities of the lads!" [10]

References

  1. ^ "[I] wrote the first Professionals slash story, “Power Play.” -- from the first Nomination for the 2009 MediaWest*Con Fan Fund
  2. ^ "In The Professionals fandom, [I] wrote what is believed to be the first-ever Bodie/Doyle slash, Power Play; copies of which circulated in late 1980/early 1981. -- from Sue aka The Android: Media Fandom
  3. ^ Some of these early stories were compiled by a fan, Metabolick, contacted some early Pros fans and compiled this list of the earliest Pros stories: "Anyway, a while back Metabolick (who is quite the fearless operative) got in contact with some of Pros earliest writers in hopes of getting a little more insight into our fandom history -- the stories in particular. These things have to be preserved now or they'll be lost forever." -- WebCite; Archive.is; Wayback machine.
  4. ^ WebCite; Archive.is; Wayback machine.
  5. ^ WebCite; Archive.is; Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ WebCite; Archive.is; Wayback Machine.
  7. ^ WebCite; Archive.is; Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ comments by Metobolick from The Dreck wRECk - Reviewing Prosdom's Earliest Stories (September 11, 2009)
  9. ^ comments by Krisserci5 from The Dreck wRECk - Reviewing Prosdom's Earliest Stories (September 11, 2009)
  10. ^ comments by Blue Amaranthe from The Dreck wRECk - Reviewing Prosdom's Earliest Stories (September 11, 2009)