FANDOM GUIDE - Avatar: The Last Airbender

[timepiececlock]

I've been meaning to make a large A:TLAB rec list for a while, and since donna_c_punk is getting into the show, I thought I'd go all the way and make a Fandom Guide. It's as extensive as I could think to make it with regards to links and communities, with some of my personal commentary on the fandom as a whole, and a fic rec list at the end.

*NOTE: If a listed link lacks commentary, it simply means I'm not familiar enough with it.

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A Crash Course In

Avatar:TLAB Fandom

+ Recs

Fandom Trends, Habits, and Pros & Cons
1. Nice LJ icons to be had. Lots of funny ones.
2. Plenty of fanart, though not as much as you get for stuff like Naruto fandom.
3. EVERYONE IS YOUNG. Well, some of them are in their twenties, but I swear 70% of them act like Avatar is their first fandom. It might be. Forgive them. (Before you ask, yes, I am snob when it comes to this.)
4. They review a lot-- I've gotten more reviews for Avatar fic than I think all my other fic combined, which...is great but doesn't quite make me feel better, because I'm not sure my writing's improved enough to warrant change. But the readers review prolifically, which is nice and really cheers you up.
5. The people on avatar_fans and other LJ groups are obessed with arguing for or against their favorite ships. This usually comes down to Katara/Aang or Katara/Zuko, neither of which is canon (the first is unrequited love plus friendship, the latter is just a lot of really cool speculation.) The older fans tend to like Katara/Zuko more, and more fic gets written for that pairing, judging by The Pit. (I'm more into the cheering, less into the arguing)
6. Stupidity happens in this fandom, just like every fandom. Not as bad as some, but still annoying at times.
7. A lotta people on avatar_fans can't spoiler-cut worth a damn.
8. Occasionally really good debates happen. Occasionally. Sometimes stupid debates happen too.
9. Sometimes refer to themselves or are referred to by other fandoms as "Avatards". I despise this moniker.
10. When good debates happen, sometimes people rise from the woodwork with really cool historical/cultural trivia to enlighten the topic.
11. Puts way too much faith in Wikipedia.
12. LOTS of fanfic. Yay!
13. Lots of FSTs and fanvids as well.


Resource Sites
- Nickelodeon's Official Avatar Website - pretty flash opening, general info.
- IMDB.com's Avatar page - Everyone loves the Internet Movie Database.
- firebender.com - general fansite, mostly known for screencapping, which it does consistantly and punctually. Nice site layout, very easy to navigate.
- avatarfans.net - messageboard
- Distant Horizons - messageboard, fansite, show & character info, fanstuff, etc.
- there was another great resource site (kind of blue-ish?) that I liked with lots of interesting pages like stuff about weapons used by characters, animals that appear, etc, but I can't find it.


Communities
avatar_fans - general comm., popular, mods often absent, variety of news, icons, fic, art, discussion. EDIT TO ADD: Fucking spoiler-posting idiots, I quit you! Not cool!
avatarfans - claims to be the less kerfluffley version of avatar_fans, but doesn't get posted to enough.
avatar_hotline - ask these guys for help on any Avatar related subject: canon, historical details, characterization, beta-assistance, etc.
avatar_rants
katarafans
zuko_fans
iroh_fans
avatarfic - nice, but doesn't get enough traffic.
theavatar100 - Total love. This is my playground.
avatarsues - a scary place.
itunes_avatar - for spoilery discussion of episodes pre-released on the iTunes Store.
theshipperstate - general ship discussion comm., created to get people to stop gabbing about it on avatar_fans.
avatar_mirror - a rating comm.
iconbenders - icon contests


Ship Communities (alphabetically)
aang_toph
aangxkatara
aangxzuko
avatar_incest
avatar_slash
katara_zuko - my other playground
sokka_azula
sokkaang
sokkayue
zhao_and_zula


Media
1. episode comms
2. musicbending
3. avatar_vids
4. avatargraphics
5. avatar_icons
6. avatar_fanart
7. irrel does lovely fanart (and has put two of my parody drabbles into comic strip form-- WHEE!--and has done so for other fics as well)


Fanfiction

Places

- avatarfic - see above
- theavatar100 - see above
- wordbending - avatar fanfiction by memlu, typically drabbles of all pairings and gen. Hasn't updated in ages, so bug her about it.
- ALL Avatar C2 Communities - at the Pit Of Voles.
- C2: Fic That Doesn't Suck - my personal rec community for the Pit Of Voles.
- Avatar fic recs from my LJ Memories - lots of my favorite drabbles off LJ.


Some General Recs, no particular order

-Rednovember - I really didn't care for her first epic Avatar fic, but everything after that I *love*. Really really.
-Tempest in a Teacup by akavertigo - the most AWESOMEST fanfic AU out there.
-Ship of Fools by amurderofcrows - one huge genfic that has parts set before, in, and beyond the series. Pretty pretty pretty.
- Shattered by magnusrae - great fic with the best OC I've seen yet, no pairings, combines angst and action.
- he spies by Pallaplease/memlu - Best.Zuko/Sokka.Fic.Ever.
- Suave Boogie - needs to get off his/her ass and write more fic already. (read "Wholeface" first.)
- Masako Moonshade - great Zuko/Katara chapter fics.
- Not Me by ShadowBYeBYe - a babyfic, and I like it.
- Rebuilding by Anonde/easytodistract - most interesting future AU fic that I've seen in a while.
- Dark Eyes - great creepy Jet fic, gives backstory up through episode 10 events.
- Vicky So - lots of Zuko/Katara or Zuko fic. Excellent grasp of writing teenage characters. Prolific and funny and moving.
- While You Loved Me by Penguinlet/jcflygurl - Hilarious, promises to be romantic at some future date.
- Dangerous Ground by by wilderness-writer - Epic Zuko/Katara action-adventure fic, complete, totally worth reading.
- 48th by Otabe Yatsuhashi - one-shot, my favorite (subversive) take on a way-too-common AvatarFic cliche: capture & bait fic.
- Can We Keep Him? by Kit Spooner - one-shot. funny. good for multiple rereads.
- Meelu the Bold - excellent collection of fics for various characters. "Death Row" is my favorite, for Jet.
- Stuck In An Igloo With You by Enchanted Daisy - probably my favorite one-shot Z/K fic of the last month or so.
- The Inifinity Legend by Lady Windsong - an epic fic I'm enjoying, hasn't been updated in a while.
- Red Hawk K'sani - multiple characters and pairings, one-shots and drabbles, slight Z/K slant.
- Winner: Sasuke v. Zuko by _rednovember - exactly as awesome a drabble as it sounds from the title.
- Push & Pull by melodiee - another WIP I'm enjoying quite a bit; slow Z/K
- The Last Concordance: Kongiri by OnePenToRuleThemAll - The OTHER really interesting AU futurefic, which I forgot to mention before because it's been a month since it updated.
- Trustfall by sasori - Sokka/Zuko friendship/action fic, well-done.
- Five Ways Avatar Aang Never Saved The World by Sabrina Empress of Insanity - I love me some Aangst.
- whirleeq - great fic all-around, excellent drabbles.
- Hotspur/dungeonwriter - lots of entertaining Zuko fic.
- Avatar Fanfiction by me/rashaka - (EDIT: added at _rednovember's request) two WIPs, assorted drabbles, Z/K


EDIT: More fanfiction recs have been provided in the comments below! Enjoy. :)

Comments

[dungeonwriter.livejournal.com]

Achrona Achrona chavit! (Last, for the last is most precious)
I'm honored.

[jcflygurl.livejournal.com]

This is possibly the most helpful thing I've seen thus far on an Avatar community. Thank you.

[jcflygurl.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I'm flattered to be on the rec list. Thanks for being such a helpful reader and reviewer!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_rednovember/]

7. A lotta people on avatar_fans can't spoiler-cut worth a damn.

Somebody needs to write a guide: HOW TO SPOILER CUT WORTH A DAMN.

I really didn't care for her first epic Avatar fic

I don't really care for it that much, now, either. XD Tyvm for the rec, btw. (However, I noticed rashaka wasn't on the list. You're much too modest. Add yourself, by my request? XD)

[penbeetreewood]

I second that. Very handy dandy. Thankies.

So many fics to read. ^_^ Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

[xwhomeverx.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Thank you so much. I needed a narrowed-down version of the fics you think don't suck, and this is perfect. *bookmarks the fics and notes self to DNS them later* (And if I may, I'd like to rec impextoo for the list. She's another one of those geniuses that can write good OC-based fics.)

That aside, the only other comprehensive thing I can think to say is WORD.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Oh it was you who emailed me about the list before? Excellent. This should help then.


If you can point me to a specific fic of hers, or her fic site, I'll add her. :)


Here's a thought: Should I link to this on avatar_fans? It does kind of criticize the comm somewhat...

you're welcome

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Added by your request! I have this feeling strongly impressed on me since childhood that I shouldn't recommend myself unless I'm trying to sell something or get hired for a job. That any kind of self-plugging is bragging, and bragging is bad. I don't care if others do it (hell, I want to read their stuff!) but something in me tells me not to do so for myself, at least not on lists like this.

I don't really care for it that much, now, either.

Spilt milk! And really, as far as language/diction goes, the fic was great. The characterization drove me away, but technically it was a well-worded fic, and nice and long. You should like it for that. :) Just my opinion, though.

Somebody needs to write a guide: HOW TO SPOILER CUT WORTH A DAMN.

Do it!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_rednovember/]

I think you should. It's still useful no matter what--and if anybody gets offended by what little criticism you've included, well phooey to them.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Sure. Which fic is yours?

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Okay then. :)

[beckingham.livejournal.com]

musicbending! My baby!

[jessieheart.livejournal.com]

I swear 70% of them act like Avatar is their first fandom.

AMEN. *deep sigh*

Oi, much love for adding avatar_incest to the list, it is greatly appreciated. ^^~ (That's my playground, next to theavatar100...) Thank you!

[kawaii-lyn.livejournal.com]

Another amazingly good AU Avatar fic is Empress Katara: the Last Wife by Avafangirl on ff.net. It's Zuko/Katara, but it's well-researched! Check it out sometime! I ♥ her extensive research into that fic so much!

[spleefmistress.livejournal.com]

WHat about my fanfics/fanart? You dont think it's good?

[kawaii-lyn.livejournal.com]

And sokka_azula, which was the brainchild of renuki and I. ^^ Muchas gracias.

[spleefmistress.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on that one. It's gorgeously written.

[jakia.livejournal.com]

::sniffs too::

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

To be honest I haven't seen your fanart in a while; I don't really remember your stuff except the icon which yuo use regularly.

This is not a complete rec list; there's a lot of fanfic writers and fanartists (especially those, since I don't search out as much fanart as I do fic) tha haven't been mentioned. These are personal recs, what I could remember when I wrote the entry the night before last. That's why this is posted in my personal journal, and only linked to the community. I don't and can't promise to include a rec for everyone I ever commented on. It's not a commentary on the quality of your work.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Maybe it'll be more active someday? I love music comms.

[easytodistract.livejournal.com]

First item in my LJ memories list. =)

Thanks, Rashaka. Just as soon as I get rid of my ball and chain, I'm starting on your fanfics and go through the list.

Also, when you're going to re-edit, could you make it easytodistract and not measytodistract. Lol.

[beckingham.livejournal.com]

Should I promote it some more? I can't exactly throw contests in it... wait, I can. Dude, why didn't I think of this before? *scurries off to plan*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_rednovember/]

I swear 70% of them act like Avatar is their first fandom.

*shifty eyes*

Well. It's the first fandom I've actively participated in.

(Sorry about the repost; formatting screwed up.)

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Although incest is not my cuppa', I do think that all ships, even unconventional ships, are equal in the sandbox of fandom. :) They have equal right to be recognized.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Well, notice the "acts like" there. :)