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You all saw Terminator 2, right? Well, if MV1 is the original Terminator played by Arnold Schwazenegger; big and tough and intimidating as hell, then Faux DC is definitely the T-1000; sleek, stylish, and ready to kick the crap out of Arnold, who's far bigger and far more experienced.
But all of that is soon about to change, according to Clay "Miry" Arceneaux, the Editor in Chief of Faux DC. With a strong publishing list of over thirty titles, some of the most prolific writers on the web, and a sense of determination that would make even Schwarzenegger cower in fear, Miry believes that Faux DC has finally arrived. Recently, HEROES had a chance to catch up with the man himself, and ask him all about it.
HEROES: Before Faux DC you wrote for MV1, right?
MIRY CLAY: Wrote/write, depends on what day you ask me. I started a little out of MV1 continuity book, "Avengers the Animated Series," where I took some of the stuff established in the previous Marvel cartoons (Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, X-men, and FF) and tried to retell the origin of the Avengers from there. I finished the first issue, then lost the job which gave me my computer access at the time. Almost 4 months later, when I got this computer, I tried to return to the series, but found I'd lost my passion for it. I did two more issues, and maybe someday I'll finish the plots that are still sitting on my harddrive.
H: And that's when you decided to start up Faux DC?
MC: Okay, let's dispel this rumor right off the bat: I did not found FDC.
H: Really? Then who did?
MC: Well it went something like this: Back in late June of '98 MV1 had just finished its huge Kree-Shiar war crossover and a bunch of us writers were wondering what to try as the next big MV1 crossover. Well somebody, it may have been Barry Reese, suggested a Marvel/DC crossover. From there, someone else (one of the Marks I think) suggested a DCV1 universe to crossover with.
Next thing we knew, titles were being dibbed and things were starting to come together fast, disorganized but fast. So I volunteered to be Editor-in-Chief just so somebody could try and make some sense of all this. Josh Corum became my Executive Editor.
H: Can you explain a little bit more about Josh's function as Executive Editor.
MC: Josh? What does he do anyway? Seriously, in addition to maintaining the page for us, and administrating the FDC list, Josh also plays a role in helping me keep track of who has dibbed what where and when. He also wrote our opening mini-series Crisis of Destiny. And perhaps most importantly, Josh spends way more time in chatrooms and on newsgroups than I do, so he's become our unofficial recruiter. A job I understand he's very good at.
H: It sounds like he does everything. What does that leave for you to do?
MC: It is my job primarily to approve all new series that are proposed at FDC. I read every issue of all our books so I can be as current as possible on what's happening so I can try and keep continuity from getting snarled. I am also the last word on setting the rules under which we all operate here. I'm not an unbending dictator who does not hear the complaints of his writers, but mine is the final word on policy.
H: Has Faux DC ever had any problems with policy where you finally had to step in?
MC: I have had to take a book away from someone, but that was mostly because they dropped completely out of site for a period of several months and made no attempt to let me know what happened. After the individual did not return my emails, I regretfully took the book from him.
H: Recently, there was a mild debate on the MV1 mailing list about whether or not fan fiction editors should actually edit the stories they publish, be it for grammar, spelling, or content. What are your opinions on this issue?
MC: It is my responsibility to maintain FDC's standard of excellence. While, I think we have a darn impressive group of writers here and that we are a creative step above most fanfic groups, occasionally, and very much so at that, I have to send a story back to it's author to be tweaked a bit. One example in particular, the writer had come up with an ending that had this been a Golden Age comics fanfic group would have been great, but since we are writing in a MUCH more contemporary vein just didn't work. I asked him to rethink the ending and after numerous emails we had a story that fit in with the rest of FDC. It's not a segment of my job I like much, and thank God I can count on one hand the number of times it's happened, but there it is.
H: This raises an interesting point, Miry, and one that I would like clarified: to what extent are your powers as EiC? Do you have the power to remove a writer from a title? And if so, would the reasons have more to do with a lack of quality or of questionable morals, etc.?
MC: I do have the power to remove someone; Miry giveth and Miry taketh away. But as I said, I'm a reasonable guy. Keep in mind that the cases where I've had to actually edit were pretty egregious, and I asked for the opinions of several people whose opinions I trust on whether or not to do it at all. So please, don't any of my newer writers out there start thinking that I'm going after your stuff with a blue pencil. As far as content is concerned, let's just say that something would have to be way, way, way beyond the pale for me to consider dumping some one from a title for it.
H: Is Faux DC going the way you had originally planned or has it become a monster that has gotten out of control?
MC: Well it's by no means become a monster out of control. At the same time, it's hard to say we're right on track. We have in our merry little band, some very slow writers, myself included. This was almost the death of us back in mid August. We lost most of our early momentum then.
H: Perhaps you need to crack the whip a little more.
MC: I feel very limited in how much I can whip crack for two reasons: 1) I'm slow myself, not from lack of interest but lack of free time, and 2) Nobody's getting paid. We're all here because we want to be, and we rely to a great extant on the honor system that once we agree to write a book, we will write it. All I really ask is that if there is a delay in your writing, just keep me informed.
H: You said you lost your early momentum, as it were. How are things going now?
MC: Things are on the up swing. I get new material weekly now. We "publish" close to 30 titles, with more being proposed each week. In the future, I can see it becoming necessary to go to the branch editor kind of system our sister site has. I would like to think we can be at least as successful as our Marvelous counter-part, but much better managed.
H: How so? How could you improve on MV1's formula?
MC: MV1's greatest weakness in many ways was it's rapid expansion that only now is being brought under control. Hopefully we have mechanisms in place, or can get them there quickly, that can prevent such from happening here.
H: If you did decide to go with "branches," what would be the benefits? Also, what branches do you think you would form and whom would you chose to run them?
MC: Most obviously, a Vertigo line, with its own branch editor. Past that, I'd have to see what titles we had. As to who would run them, I'd take volunteers from our established corp. of writers. Although I must tell you that I've already been approached about the Vertigo idea by someone interested in the future position.
H: Have you ever rejected a proposal for a new series?
MC: Not in those words, I have told folks that they could not do a series because the person they wanted was too heavily dibbed in an existing title for a separate solo title. Most of the proposals I get are pretty good stuff.
H: What would you like to see more of at Faux DC?
MC: I would like to see more original series pop up here. Tales of the Blue Devil is an excellent example of what I mean. I am talking with a guy about developing a team of british heroes, and that's cool too. I'd like to see more series in that vein.
H: Blue Devil is an excellent example of a series that did not find very much popularity as a real comic book, but as fan fiction it can find a new audience. What other series do you think have found their niche, so to speak, as fan fiction?
MC: Green Arrow has never been a top seller, but Tim's series is generating a lot of interest as fanfic. I think the upcoming Oracle title will be another. Heck, Barry just sent me a proposal for O.M.A.C., if that isn't a niche book I don't know what is.
H: What writer or title at Faux DC just doesn't get the proper attention?
MC: Showcase. We haven't had a new story for it in quite a while and with as many talented writers as we have, I find it strange that nobody has thought up of anything else to out here. Oh yes, and everyone should read any series I write, I don't get near enough attention.
H: Can you tell me a little bit more about your own Faux DC projects as a writer?
MC: Ooooo! A chance to plug! Presently I co-write two series for FDC, the New Titans with Michael Stewart, and Detective Comics with my younger brother Cliff. New Titans picks up almost immediately after the Jurgens series ends and explores the reformation of the New Titans. Detective Comics is going to be more like Astro City than its real comic counterpart. Cliff and I have some neat ideas about some stories we want to try and tell about Gotham and it's citizens.
H: So did you start writing fan fiction out of a love for the characters or more out of a desire to rewrite DC's stories?
MC: Both. Well more the former than the later, but everybody has a comic character they think just got wronged and for some fan fiction is the only place those wrongs get righted. And some characters, Hawkman and Cyborg for two easy examples, needed some reworking just to get them usable again.
H: Can you compare some of the strengths and weakness between comics and fan fiction?
MC: Comics to a certain extent must remain static. Too much change in their status quo drives down sales for the most part. Then you have the gimmick of the month over in Superman, an example of "shaking things up" that rarely works for long. In fan fiction, you can take bigger risks because you don't have to worry about sales. T.J. Burns has some risky things planned for Green Lantern. Cliff and I have a subplot you're never likely to see for Batman in Detective. We can do that because at worst we would only have our stories go unread. I'm not saying that's a good thing, but it's better than losing money and getting fired.
H: What does the future hold for you? Do you plan to stay on as Editor in Chief at Faux DC?
MC: Well, I may not have founded it, but it has become very much my baby. I intend to stay for as long as I can and still remain sane.
