Alara.net/Crossroads X/XXY: The Genderswap Universe
| Archive | |
|---|---|
| Name: | XXY: The Genderswap Universe |
| Date(s): | 1998-2000 |
| Archivist: | Alara Rogers |
| Founder: | Alara Rogers |
| Type: | Archive |
| Fandom: | X-Men |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The XXY Genderswap Universe is the website and archive for a collaborative fanfiction project which explored in which every mutant character in the Marvel Universe was portrayed as the "opposite" gender to the one they presented in canon. Alara Rogers acted as the editor-in-chief of the project.
What is XXY?:XXY is a shared world universe, set in an alternate to the Marvel Universe. In that it's similar to many collaborative fanfic universes on the web, such as Marvel-X or X-Writers. The differences between XXY and all other shared worlds are that:
- XXY is not released as monthly "issues." We are a prose project, and we don't seek to pretend that we're really a comic book when we don't have the major advantage of comics, ie, pictures. Instead we try to exploit the resources that the prose form gives us. So instead of being monthly short stories, the XXY Universe can be better thought of as a sprawling, evolving, multi-threaded novel.
- XXY involves changing the universe from the "beginning". Our theme is simple-- mutants are all of the opposite sex than they are in the regular Marvel Universe, through random chance-- but this means that changes to the universe take place as far back as the arrival of the Celestials. Rather than picking a jumping-off point in current continuity and then writing continuous stories from that point forward, we are creating an entire alternate history. So we jump around a lot. XXY stories don't necessarily take place in chronological order.
- XXY writers have responsibility for characters, not "books". Individual writers will take charge of a particular character, and be responsible for swapping them, designing their current personality and the way they fit into the XXY universe, and then everyone else can write that character with the input of the "adaptor". So instead of one person being in charge of the "book" "X-Factor", many people have characters in the team X-Factor, and the tales centering around that team may be collaborative efforts, or written by one person but beta-read by all the other writers.
History
The XXY Genderswap Universe began as a suggestion by Lazy Line Painter Al on RACMX in April 1998[2]. Brian Fried posted a rough outline of how they believed things would be different if the genders of the X-Men and associated characters had been switched at the outset, rather than as a later incident[3]. From here, Indigo cross-posted the idea to ACFF, suggesting that it could be a project for the X-Writers[4] and from there Alara, who had been actively (and enthusiastically) participating in the RACMX thread proposed the idea of a collaborative fanfiction project based on the concept. Interest was piqued[5] and it was Andrew W, then-editor of X-Writers, who coined the name XXY[6].
The first incarnation of the website was set up on Alara's page between May 5 and June 2, 1998 (per the announcement of the site being relocated posted to ACFF).[7] Another email to the list, posted in December 1998, requested art for the project[8]; it appears most of the planning and outlining was going on via the mailing list[9] set up for the project, with a benchmark document, proposed timeline, character and original character dossiers, dibs list, galley and warmup ficlets being linked to from the main archive[10] (unfortunately, none of these links were archived by the Wayback Machine).
A year after the initial discussion, the concept was formally opened to the public[11] and the first story (by Alara) posted to ACFF[12]. Alara posted two other stories and the site hosted an art gallery of XXY fanart; however beyond the initial discussions and dibsing, interest faded and the last update to the website was in August, 2000[13], without the addition of any other actual stories other than the three by Alara.
Contents
The website was set up (in Alara's personal "ugly" style) as an FAQ, answering the following questions:
- What are the rules for the XXY Universe?
- What's the theme of XXY?
- How can I join in on creating XXY or reading the stories before they hit the net?
- Where can I read the published stories?
- The officially published XXY stories are all here, at XXY: Tales of Another World.
- First Genesis - (1976): The first "official" tale of the XXY Universe. John Grey comes to Doctor Carolyn Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters and joins X-Factor, just in time for the team to fight Polaris, Mistress of Magnetism. By Alara Rogers.
- At Home With The Mutant Menace - (1976): As seen through the eyes of young (10-year-old) Rogue, we see a day in the life of the Mutant Menace, after Polaris' first battle with X-Factor but before the Menace themselves came up against X-Factor. The lineup of the Menace at this time includes Polaris, Mystique, Destiny, Jasmine Wyngarde (Dreamweaver), Wanda Magnus (Quicksilver), Pietro Magnus (Wizard), and Bertha Toynbee (Leaper), with Rogue, a child who hasn't gotten his powers yet, as a civilian attached to the team. Mostly kind of humorous. By Alara Rogers.
- Bittersweet (1967): In the days of their friendship in Israel, Carolyn Xavier and Erika Lehnsherr take their relationship in a different direction. Contains explicit f/f sex. By Alara Rogers.
- XXY artwork is here at the XXY Gallery, which includes all the artwork created as of August 15/00.
- Artists include: Jeffrey Harlan, Allen Rowe, Carolyn Vaughan and Karolina P.
- The officially published XXY stories are all here, at XXY: Tales of Another World.
- Where can I get the "unpublished" stuff the writers use to create the universe?
- Benchmark: The Beginning of the Modern Age: This benchmarks the original members of X-Factor, the Mutant Menace, and the two old ladies whose lives are well mapped out, Carolyn Xavier and Polaris.
- Timeline
- Character Dossier: The Adapted: MU characters who are altered to fit the XXY Universe-- either by genderswapping, or by having the circumstances of their lives change by everyone else's swaps-- appear in this dossier.
- Character Dossier: Original Characters: This one is for the characters that don't come from the MU.
- The Dibs List: This lists who created what characters.
- Warmups, Follies and Stories In Progress: This page includes brief storylets that the authors did to get a handle on their own characters and demonstrate the character to the other members of the group.
- Are there any XXY links besides this one?
- Neat Stuff I Made: A subdivision of Jeffrey Harlan's Home Page, Jeff's XXY pictures are all available at this site, including assorted logos.
- Carolyn Vaughan's Picture Page: Includes pics of some of Carolyn's XXY characters at her page The Celestial Realm.
- Fictional Art: Karolina P's art for fan fiction includes several XXY pics. Click on the "Illustration" link.
- How do I create a character?
References
- ^ XXY: The Marvel Mutant Genderswap Project - Main Page. via Wayback Oct 20/22
- ^ Genetic ramifications of Magneto changing gender, racmx google group, Apr 29/98
- ^ Genetic ramifications of Magneto changing gender, racmx, googlegroup, May 3/98.
- ^ Genetic ramifications of Magneto changing gender, acff googlegroup, May 3/98
- ^ META: The Gender Swap Universe, acff googlegroup, May 4/98
- ^ Genetic ramifications of Magneto changing gender, acff googlegroup, May 5/98
- ^ META: Alara's fanfic sites have moved, acff googlegroup, Jun 5/98
- ^ META: Fanfic writer looking for artist, acff googlegroup, Dec 28/98
- ^ [email protected]
- ^ XXY: THe Marvel Mutant Gengerswap Project, via Wayback Oct 10/99
- ^ The XXY Universe, acff googlegroup, May 5/99
- ^ XXY: First Genesis 1/3, acff googlegroup, May 5/99
- ^ XXY: The Marvel Mutant Genderswap Project - Main Page, via Wayback Oct 20/22