Fonts of Wisdom
| Archive | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Fonts of Wisdom - Pryde & Wisdom/Excalibur (and more) Fan-Fiction |
| Date(s): | July 5, 1997 - December 17, 2009 |
| Archivist: | Luba Kmetyk |
| Founder: | Luba Kmetyk |
| Type: | Fanfic, Fanart |
| Fandom: | X-Men, Vertigo, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Subreality Cafe, The Common People |
| URL: | http://lubakmetyk.infinology.net/index.htm (archived version) http://home.att.net/~lubakmetyk/index.htm http://whatsnew.the-crypt.net/ |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Fonts of Wisdom was Luba Kmetyk's invitation-only archive. It was a large multi-creator fanworks archive, hosting an extensive array of fanfiction and fanart. The main focus was on Kitty Pryde and Pete Wisdom, of Marvel Comics' Excalibur title. The archive was first updated on July 15, 1997, according to the What's New section of the site, and was a repository for Luba's own fanworks, as well as works she appreciated and wanted to save. In Luba's own words:
This is not intended to be a complete archive of all Pryde&Wisdom stories available, or all Excalibur stories available. These are stories I like to read. These may include stories where Pete and/or Kitty only make brief appearances, and stories about other Excalibur members and characters that have some contact with Pete and/or Kitty (such as Doug, Illyana, Betsy). I also have New Mutants and Hellions stories on one subpage, and on another subpage DC/Vertigo stories and even Image stories. My only rule is, I want to include them (and the authors graciously let me). If you send me a story, I will read it and consider it, but I reserve the right to decline it for my own reasons.
The last update of the site was in 2008, following Luba's hospital stay and nursing care[1]. At that time there were 3945 stories by 722 authors and art by 213 artists.
Idylls of the Cat
Luba's own ongoing Pete and Kitty stories, including her own version of continuity following the "Pete v Pete" scene of Excalibur #92 where Piotr assaults Pete Wisdom after he sees him with Kitty. In Luba's words:
Note: I started this series soon after Excalibur #92 (Pete vs Pete), and have made no effort to keep this within more recent Marvel continuity. In particular, I am ignoring the whole Onslaught/Dark Xavier mess, and Dark Beast, also. Xavier in this story may be dark, but it's his own fault; I don't accept Onslaught as an excuse for Xavier to act like a jerk. I'm treating Logan as basically normal, I just don't feel up to writing feral Wolverine. I'm also ignoring Betsy and the Crimson Whatever. And I've also ignored a lot of little things Ellis has done with Pryde and Wisdom since then, not because I don't accept them (I revere Ellis as gospel), but because it would involve too much minor revision.
The stories included R-rated erotica and the Dark Idylls series, which took a much bleaker look at Kitty's relationships, both with Pete Wisdom and with Piotr Rasputin.
X-Books
There were a number of sections for other writers' stories about Kitty and Pete, sorted into five different sections:
- The Heart of the Matter (Pryde&Wisdom stories);
- Pearls of Wisdom (Pete Wisdom stories);
- Mightier than the Sword (Excalibur stories);
- Major Arcana (X-Men stories w/ major Kitty/Pete/EXC roles);
- Minor Arcana (X-Men stories w/ minor Kitty/Pete/EXC roles).
There was also other sections for:
- X-Men stories Just Because - basically X-Men fics Luba liked that didn't include Kitty or Pete;
- Pandemonium (Illyana Rasputin, New Mutants and Hellions stories);
- Tag Team (Kai & Logan stories) - stories by Kaylee (KayJay) featuring Logan and her OC Kai;
- Canzona (The Ballad of Rahne and Sam) - a series by Denise K and Leary focusing on a relationship between Rahne Sinclair and Sam Guthrie;
- Tales of the Twilight Menshevik - a series by Tilman Stieve focusing on a relationship between Mystique and Val Cooper;
- Triptych: Diamond (Emma Stories) - stories featuring the White Queen, Emma Frost by various writers;
- Triptych: Amethyst (Betsy Stories) - stories featuring Psylocke/Betsy Braddock by various writers;
- Triptych: Garnet (Maddie Stories) - stories featuring the Goblin Queen, Madelyne Pryor by various writers.
Vertigo/DC/et al
Luba's site was one of the few in the 1990s and early 2002s that had an interest in non-Marvel fanfiction. She collected fanfics about Vertigo, DC, and a number of crossover stories, including comics crossed over with Babylon 5, X-Files, Farscape and Twin Peaks.
- Stories from the Shadows (DC/Vertigo stories) - by various authors;
- Bootleg Story Annex - the stories that didn't fit anywhere else but that Luba wanted to keep.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel the Series
The Crypt was where Luba saved Spike-centric fanfic, having, in her own words:
I have a thing for bad Brits! <g> Therefore, most of these stories feature Spike, although I admit to a soft spot for Giles and Wesley, too. (Angel welcome if he plays nice with Spike and/or kills Riley)
Fanart
Speculum Mundi was the fanart section, with an extensive collection of fanart from across comics fanfic. Some OCs were included. There was also an adult section, unusual for a lot of fanart archives where the domains often restricted such materials.
Reviews and Recommendations
Her site, 'The Fonts of Wisdom' was initially created to showcase good Wisdom/Pryde fanfic, but has since made a stunning growth. In fact, based on her regular updating, excellent taste and smooth design, the Fonts has become one of the premier fanfiction sites on the net. It holds a stunningly high level of top quality fics, rejecting the dross must sites are padded with. For many writers, an archive request from Luba is a sign of 'making it' within the community.