Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Fun with Polls Deathfics - yes or no?

It's been remarked on many times that this fandom is highly unusual in that stories in which either Lois or Clark - or the supporting characters, for that matter - die are few and far between. More than that, writers are kind of expected to reassure readers that all will be well if one or other of Lois and Clark is put in some sort of serious danger.

So... I have a couple of questions. Answer and discuss, please!


Wendy

It's been said here before that Anything can be done in a well written story. So yeah, I'd read a story from an author I've read and enjoyed in the past even if Lois or Clark has to die!

Granted I've complained about Lois dying, but that's just because the story affected me, due to a creative and well written storyline.

And yeah, I'd write one if I had a supporting storyline.

TEEEEEEEEJ

I pretty much agree that anything that is well-backed is fine. Killing for the sake of the shock value or just for the angst seems a bit much for me, even in fandoms which are considerably darker, though I shamefacedly admit I've written one of those for another fandom when I was much younger. But if it's part of the story and it fits well, then sure. I'll probably read it, and I'll probably even enjoy it. As far as writing a deathfic, sure I'd write one if I could think of a good reason. I'm a sucker for sappy endings as far as L&C goes, though, so that probably won't happen anytime soon

I almost never read deathfic--I hate having characters I love die--but if it's really well-written, I will. But it better be well-done and worth it! I love the characters way too much.

As for the 2nd question--I don't write L&C fanfic (nor much fanfic at all, if ever), which wasn't an option . . .

I can't remember any deathfics I read in this fandom, right now, but I know there was at least one. Incidentally, I didn't really like it, but that's not my point. <g> If the story is well written, and not just written for the angst, I might go for it... but generally, I'd prefer the victim not be Lois or Clark. I hate to say it, nut if I know beforehand that Lois or Clark die I might even not read it.

As for writing, I wouldn't kill off Lois or Clark just because I don't think I'll ever have a plot idea involving that (without reviving them later, anyway). Secondary characters might die, but it'll take a lot for me... if it's necessary, maybe I'll do it, but I think I'd be afraid of creating excess angst, which is bad.

Julie

I suppose I have to be in the mood to read a deathfic. More often that not, I'd rather some of the supporting cast die and leave L & C in tact. Tank's Serial Vengeance is one of my favorites.

Would I write a deathfic? ...Yes--if I came up with a decent storyline, which is not happening anytime soon. I don't have that much patience with writing, unfortunately. <g> And I have no clue why I'd consider writing a deathfic to begin with, considering the fact that I don't always like to read them...I don't know. I tend to make zero sense out of my head, and I'm fine with that. <g>

But for the most part, I'd rather L & C fair out okay in the end. Life's a real pain sometimes, and if mine can't fair out that well, at least two of my favorite fictional characters can have a happily ever after once in a while. Or at least this is the mood I happen to be in right now. <g> Ask me in about an hour, and I might not care who dies.

Jen

I'm not much for deathfic. I prefer happy stories in general.

I will read a deathfic if it's well enough written and if I'm in the right mood.

Oddly enough, though, I actually have written a deathfic. Surprised the heck out of me when I did it, and I don't expect to ever do so again. Still, so far there's one vote from a writer who has written one, and it's mine. Go figure.

Paul

I answered 'other' for the first question.

Sometimes I think that an unhappy ending, even a death, would be better suited to some stories then the fairytale endings that get tossed in at the end of 123 chapters of angst.
I would definately read a fic where the character dies, but my enjoyment of the story would depend on how respectful the fic handled the death.

I think my answer to the second question would be obvious - IAmNotAWriter (but yes, I would)

For the first question, I chose "I don't mind, if the story is well written etc.". For me, reading is all about feeling the story. If it makes me feel something, even if that's sorrow because one of the main characters died, then I like it. (Maybe unless what I'm feeling is dismay for reading something very poorly-written )

For the first question, I chose "I've already written one". It was a short one, where I wanted to explore how Lois would feel if Clark died. I suspect it has something to do with my finding somewhere a few of Superman comics at that time, including "Death Of Superman" - which I really loved and it made me cry. Whether it has or it doesn't have to do with it, though, I still had the idea and decided to give it a shot.

The results of the poll surprise me a little. I thought FoLCs were more narrow-minded regarding deathfics, but I'm happy to see I was wrong

See ya,
AnnaBtG.

Deathfic has never been a genre I'd especially seek out, but, as with all genres, there have been noteable exceptions over the years which have snuck their way onto my hd as favourites.

For me, the difference is usually between deathfic which is maudlin and just written to wallow in misery and deathfic which is poignant and says someting about the characters.

Naturally, at this point in time, the only examples I can recall are a beautiful little vignette I recently read in the Stargate fandom - A Beautiful Day by Dust Devil - which definitely came into the latter definition for me.

But there was a deathfic about Perry dying seen from Jimmy's perspective - was it one of Krissie's? - which I enjoyed. And When Magnolias Bloom by Jennifer Eagan-Dixon was always a favourite of mine. Beautifully written, both of them. There have been others over the years, but I'm afraid my memory isn't up to recalling the details.

LabRat

I'm not all that big on deathfic. Reading for me is all about escapism, and there's all too much death in the world. And so often the death is accompanied by violence. And when it's not, it usually makes me cry, which just makes everything worse. Crying hurts! (of course, that really doesn't explain just *why* I keep reading Little Women...)

However, there have been a few exceptions. Usually those particular fics show a natural progression, ie death after a long life. Then it's more about the rejoicing of life rather than the death itself.

Nope. Not one of mine.

The only deathfic I've written was a drabble. (Which I promptly forgot about. I was rather surprised when I found it again recently.)

I wouldn't go out of my way to read deathfic, but I'd give one a go if it is well written and had a point, rather that being a gratuitous emotional wallow. A peaceful death after a long and fulfilling life wouldn't really bother me in a story, either.

Writing deathfic... I think I'd have a hard time doing it, but I won't say never. Again, if I could come up with a premise where the death had meaning, I might be tempted.

Chris

I picked other on reading a deathfic and "never, I love the characters too much to kill them" for the writing a deathfic. For me, the issue of reading a deathfic doesn't have to do with whether it's exceptionally well-written or not. I liked When Magnolias Bloom because L&C were together throughout the entire thing. I don't really want to read about one of them being left without the other, so a readable deathfic only works for me if L&C aren't really separated.

That said, I realized almost as soon as I voted that I may have cast my vote on the second question incorrectly. At the time that Nan was writing her original "Home" vignette, I was tossing around the idea of writing a novel-length story (100,000 words or so) that surveyed L&C's life together if Brutal Youth didn't really take care of Clark's extended lifetime. I planned to follow them through important moments in their lives and end with Lois dying after a long life together and Clark waiting for her return. So, while I haven't written a deathfic and won't do so now, I did plan to do so at one time.

BTW, Wendy, regarding your comment on the other poll about why I felt it necessary to check the ending in a story in this fandom: since my son's death, I have little tolerance for reading about the agony that follows the loss of a loved one. For me now, there is nothing cathartic about reading about that kind of loss, so I needed to know that the character survived, that it was only a brief separation.

Sheila, I wasn't asking why you didn't like to find yourself reading a deathfic - I completely understand that. My point was only that, in this fandom, you're really not going to stumble across one by accident. At least, not from an author whose work you know, and not on the archive.

But I can certainly understand your wariness.


Wendy

Actually, Wendy, I hadn't realized that deathfics were required to be stated as such on the archive. And since this particular author had never introduced any supernatural acts before, I didn't see how the character was going to return from the dead, so I panicked. That's why I mentioned my inability to deal with that sort of story as casual reading--it makes me less able to trust the writer to come to a good conclusion. Now that I know that is archive policy, I won't worry about it again.

I think it would be a mistake to think that you couldn't be ambushed by a deathfic on the Archive.

Even if there was a firm policy on such stories containing warnings, there are always stories which would have been uploaded before any policy existed. In the very early days, for example, there wasn't much policy on anything. Ratings weren't around to start with, for instance.

It's been so long since we've had a deathfic submitted (as far as I recall, before anyone feels the desperate urge to leap in and tell me we had one last week ) that I can't remember if I or Kathy ever issued a specific policy on them.

But as far as I'm aware it's just always been the case that we ask or recommend an author includes a warning in their notes at the start of the story.

Can't recall any author not agreeing, but if they did feel strongly that they didn't want a warning - because it spoiled a 'surprise' ending, say - then that would be entirely their choice.

Of course as it's a genre that doesn't really appear that often in FoLCdom, you're probably safe from this point on by default. And if you're particularly concerned that the story you're reading might be deathfic, you can - as you say, Sheila - always skip ahead and check out the ending.

LabRat

Death fics? Well, i have nothing against them.

Actually I would like to see more of them. I have no problem with WAFFy stories, but sometimes the cliché is inevitable. I don't mind and actually am writing a deathfic. I wish readers were more open minded about this kind of gender because being original with so many fannons and canons to follow is a little hard.

As i said, i dont mind anything that is not the trivial. I actually do welcome them.

MDL.

Krissie wrote:

Hmmmmmmm. Dang. That's beginning to bug me now. Think I'll go post in FR, see if anyone knows the one I'm thinking of.

LabRat

After reading about the death of a major character in a series I really enjoy, I think I've determined that I could do without reading deathfics.

I guess I'm really a happy ending type of girl. So don't ask me why I reread "Ad Astra Per Aspera" every once in a while.

It all depends. I've written *lots* of deathfics. I'm infamous for writing dark comedy sketches in JAG where Clayton Webb dies. If he appears in any of my stories, he will die in the most creative way I can find. <g> I've had him killed in the line of duty, mugged, baked in the world's largest pecan pie, run over by an ambulance, squished to death in a garbage truck, accidentally drowned because he'd been drinking... Well, you get the picture. I killed AJ once after the whole "go wrestle alligators" speech in the beginning of season nine. And I killed off Lt. Smarm (Ok, so his name's Vukovic... or Vukoblech or Vukopuke or something like that.) because I hate the character and they left him in Iraq and it was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

I wrote a death fic in Lois and Clark once because of a challenge. In Smallville, I once won third place for best comedy because I killed almost everybody off.

I've recently written a death *meditation* for Lois and Clark. It was my way of paying tribute and dealing with Lane Smith's death. IMHO, a big part of Perry died when the actor that played him did. Thing is, deathfics are primarily about killing off a character. Death meditations are different, because they're more about the people left behind after the death of a loved one.

It depends on how it's done if I'll read one or not. Death meditations, yes. Death fics have to somehow be funny for me to get into them. Yes, it's black comedy when it's done that way, but if it gives me a chuckle, yeah, I'll read it. Most of the deathfics I've written are real TPFIC. <g> Fun to write, and if you happen to hate the character(s) in question, fun to read as well.

BrightFeather
http://bratling.0catch.com