Fandom Classic

You may be looking for the glossary term Classic, which is a jargon for a specific genre of fanwork that is canon compliant or ignores certain episodes or seasons.

Synonyms:
See also:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

A fandom classic is a fanwork that is more or less recognized as "must-read" or "must view" by fans within the same fandom.

Online fandoms develop so quickly that a fanwork can be labeled "classic" within months.

How Are Classics Defined?

This article or section needs expansion.

Number of recs?

Number of times it shows up in fannish discussions?

Award winners?

The popularity of the fanwork's creator?

The pairing or subject matter?

The fanwork's length?

The fanwork's genre?

Do fans talk about it because the fanworks because of its general excellence or because it rocked some fannish boats?

Fanworks that are consistently mentioned by mainstream media sources?

Some Examples of Fandom Classics

Fiction

Captain America

• 4 Minute Window by Speranza
• Not Easily Conquered by dropdeaddream and WhatAreFears

due South

• With Six You Get Eggroll by Speranza
• How Ray Got His Groove Back by Aristide and Bone

Hanson

• Catapult by Ella
• Devil Angel by Aspen
• Lived by Amanda Dupuis
• Tulsa 74132 by Sarah, Laurie and Melissa
• Zac Says Tay Still Wets The Bed by Nick

Harry Potter

• The Paradigm of Uncertainty by Madlori
• The Draco Trilogy by Cassandra Claire
• The Shoebox Project by Lady Jaida and Rave
• Stealing Harry by Sam Starbuck
• Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

• Fallout: Equestria by Kkat

The Professionals

• Harlequin Airs by Ellis Ward
• Waiting to Fall by Rob

Sherlock Holmes

• The Progress of Sherlock Holmes by Ivy Blossom
• Performance in a Leading Role by Madlori

Stargate Atlantis

• Freedom's Just Another Word for Nothing Left To Lose by Synecdochic

Star Trek

• Full Circle by Killa
• Courts of Honor by Syn Ferguson
• This Deadly Innocence, Or The End of the Hurt/Comfort Syndrome by Leslie Fish

Starsky & Hutch

• Mojave Crossing by Connie Faddis
• The Thousandth Man by Suzan Lovett

Supernatural

• Twist and Shout by gabriel and standbyme
• Last Outpost Of All That Is by gekizetsu

Transformers

• Nine Rings of Vos by sanjuno

The Walking Dead

• Broken Mirrors and Sweet Junction by theramblinrose

X-Files

• Classics (or, Your Fanfic Education is Not Complete Until You've Read ...) - a list of "must-read" The X-Files stories posted at X-Files Lost & Found
• Oklahoma, by Amperage and Livengoo
• Iolokus Series by RivkaT and MustangSally
• Ghosts by torch

X-Men

• X-Manson by Dr. Benway

Yuri on Ice

• Rivals series by Reiya/Kazliin
• From Almaty, With Love by boxwineconfessions

Art

• art by Suzan Lovett for the zine Master of the Revels (The Professionals)

Vids

• Closer by Killa and TJonesy (Star Trek: TOS)
• The Rose by Kendra Hunter and Diana Barbour (Starsky & Hutch)
• Us by Lim (multi-fandom, meta)

Podfics

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

Meta Essays

• How Fanfiction Makes Us Poor by cupidsbow (multi-fandom)
• Another Addict Raves About K/S by Joanna Russ (Star Trek: TOS)
• Open Letter to Star Wars Fans by the Duncans by Tracy Duncan & Nancy Duncan (Star Wars)
• The good old days before google were dark and involved horses by seperis (multi-fandom)

Meta and Further Reading

• What Makes a "Fandom Classic"?, Paper Droids, Published October 16, 2014. (Article discussing what defines a "fandom classic", with some examples of fandom classics from major fandoms including Sherlock, Star Trek and Supernatural).