mini revelation

[timepiececlock]

I've had a miniature semi-revelation.

I don't like Spander fic.

I kinda knew this before, and then I kinda convinced myself otherwise. I've read an assortment now (especially ficlets), by fic writing ladies that I adore and envy for their talent, but I just can't get excited by anything on the subject.

I think it might have to do with the fact that Xander, though cute, was always my least favorite Scooby character on BTVS, and I've never been that excited about him in the first place, except those time when he gets the good lines, and when it involves Anya. Other than that... nothin'.

I feel weirdly... liberated. Here I've been trying to latch onto Spander fic as everyone else seemed to, and deep down knowing it just wasn't working for me, but trying to get into it anyway.

Now that I know I actually don't like reading it, and can't imagine that it would ever happen whatsoever, I feel... reaffirmed.

You all keep writing it, because you're great. I'm just not going to read it.

Comments

[onetwomany.livejournal.com]

Wow...big revelation :)

I've got mixed feeling about Spander.

Honestly, I'm not into Xander in the least. There's nothing wrong with NB - he's a great actor and very funny - but the character doesn't really do anything for me either. Nothing at all (well, unless it’s late season 6 Xander, but the less said about him the better...). That’s not to deny that he’s cute and devoted or anything like that; it’s just that his archetype isn’t really my thing.

However, put Xander with Spike, and, well, suddenly everything is different. I like the guy. I can sympathise with him. I even find him hot. I'm often not sure why, although I think it's a combo of the fact so many talented writers (too many to name!) write Spander (and make if good!), and that I'm a complete SpikeHo who is simply undiscerning when it comes to the other players. Mmm...Spike.

Um, there was a point to this post somewhere. Maybe, yay for you for being firm in your likes and dislikes? That'll do!

Re:

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

:smile:

I'm often not sure why, although I think it's a combo of the fact so many talented writers (too many to name!) write Spander (and make if good!)

See, that's the thing. I have enjoyed some of the Spander fic, for that reason. But I realize I'm not really enjoying it because it's Spike+Xander, I'm only enjoyig it because that author wrote it. They could have been writing about fired shrimp screwing their own toothpicks and I would have found it thrilling. But take away that, and I don't care about the ship at all. And lately, I don't even want to bother to read it if it is by someone like.


hm... fried shrimp screwing their own toothpicks... I'll have to remember that...

[vero-72.livejournal.com]

Right there with you. I tried, but I can see them together. I feel that by being together they are out of character. Or maybe I just really don't care about Xander much and love Spike too much?

oops!

[vero-72.livejournal.com]

I meant I can't see them together. Stupid computer doesn't read my thought and correct my bad spelling.

[dettiot.livejournal.com]

For me, the problem is that I really don't care about reading slash fiction. If it's part of a larger story, I'd go with it, but still, I wouldn't seek it out.

And Spander? I just can't see it. Spangel, sure; makes complete sense to me. But I can't see Xander as someone who's hiding his lust for Spike under all that hate; I just see hate. Because honestly, Xander? Not that deep a guy. :-)

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Spangel, sure; makes complete sense to me.

It's that whole vampire thing. You pretty much expected it from the get-go, right?

But I can't see Xander as someone who's hiding his lust for Spike under all that hate; I just see hate. Because honestly, Xander? Not that deep a guy.

I think that's one of my problems too. It makes it easier for me to accept the early season fanfics. But by the time Spike's in love with Buffy, there's too much history between them that I can't imagine Spike and Xander touching each other sexually with a ten foot pole. And that incredulity makes it hard for me to get into even the most well-written of them.

So I'm left pouting on the side, only raising my hand for the parody fics.

[flickums.livejournal.com]

I usually find that Spander fic does work, but only if done for comical purposes.

And even then, it's usually only amusing if done properly.

Re:

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the comical ones are funny. lordshiva did a comical one I liked.

[jidabug.livejournal.com]

Ditto, ditto, and word. I've tried, I really have. I like Xander just fine, so it's not a problem with the character which makes me not keen on Spander. I'm not really into slash, so that's probably the main reason I shy away from it. And it makes me feel a little sad because all these great writers are doing some really great Spander, but I'm just not enjoying it as much as I would if it were another pairing, you know?

Re:

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

See, it's not the slash so much as the fact that it's Spike and Xander. I think I just don't like the two characters together.

but I'm just not enjoying it as much as I would if it were another pairing, you know?

I know.

[sue-donym.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree with you. I never seek out Spander, but all my favorite authors are writing it now, so I can't help but read it. My favorite kind are the ones where they bicker and play video games and oops, they have sex. Spander schmoop? Nut-uh. Don't see it. I love Spike and I like Xander, but as you say in a comment above, I'm not about the Spike+Xander.

And don't tell anyone but *looks around, then whispers* I usually skip the sex scenes.

Re:

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

My favorite kind are the ones where they bicker and play video games and oops, they have sex.

Did you reead Kalima's Nicholetta fic? That's basically it, except add a woman who gets them high and make it a menage a trois. That's a example of one that's hilarious and a great read, but I only would have read because it's by her.

[gigglestheblood.livejournal.com]

I don't like Spander fic

Yay! with all the Spander hype I assumed that everyone loved it except me.

Re:

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

no, it's ok. I just watch that pairing from the sidelines now, think 'Yeah right, that would never happen' and consol my losses with Spuffyfic.

Utterly OT

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

I wanna take your icon, and put the lyrics from U2 on it.

"If you wanna kiss the sky, better learn now to kneel
On your knees, boy"

Happy sigh.

Re: Utterly OT

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I like your icon a lot, but it's moving too fast for me to really read. I want to turn down the speed dial one it.

You can use the icon. :) I made it as one of four slides for a spuffy icon with a poem from Hamlet:

Doubt thou the stars are fire
Doubt that the sun doth move
Doubt truth to be a liar *
But never doubt I love

The the truth line was this icon base. I just uploaded the base this time cause I like that picture of Punk!Spike, and thought it went nicely over the alley picture. Like the ghost of Spike's nature as a Slayer of Slayers is hanging between them.

Tell me if you make the icon. I might want a copy. ;)

[bailunrui.livejournal.com]

I'm not a Spander!fic ho either. I'm not big into the slash. I'll read it (but only Spangel because that makes sense) if its secondary to a second greater ship (usually Spuffy).

It feels good to know that not everyone is a Spander fan.

[leslina.livejournal.com]

I feel weirdly... liberated. Here I've been trying to latch onto Spander fic as everyone else seemed to, and deep down knowing it just wasn't working for me, but trying to get into it anyway.

You shouldn't have tried to force yourself to do it in the first place. I don't care how good a writer and friend a person is to me. If a topic/pairing doesn't appeal to me or is off putting -- I would never force myself to like it for the sake of friendship. We all have our quirks and are entitled to them. True friendships can get past these kinds of things. My friends know what I like and what I don't like and they respect that as I respect their differing creative ideas so we don't force one another into needless pressure. Not that there's anything wrong with jumping the bandwagon now and again -- but I think you have to have at least some remote appeal to what the wagon's offering if you're going to jump on -- otherwise, stay off.

Glad you came to your realization and were honest about it.

Re:

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

-- I would never force myself to like it for the sake of friendship.

It wasn't that-- it's not a pressure thing. It's a "I gotta find something to do" thing, and "that's what a lot of people seem to be doing so I'll check it out." I've always felt that anything you do online is self-imposed and self-chosen, the internet is too ephemeral a place to blame your actions of others.

[leslina.livejournal.com]

I've always felt that anything you do online is self-imposed and self-chosen, the internet is too ephemeral a place to blame your actions of others.

I don't see it that way. Internet "culture" is not unlike any other strata or sub culture of society. I regard my net friends in much the same way as I regard friends from school, work etc

Pressures to "jump" onto a fad or "check something out" are no different online as they are offline.

The way I view this Spander phase is no different from urban kids adopting du rags as the latest fashion accessory -- a couple of writers from a particular sub culture of fandom on the web wanted to experiment with something different and it went from a "whim thing" to a fad thing.

It's just how human dynamics work. Blame has nothing to do with it.

Re:

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Pressures to "jump" onto a fad or "check something out" are no different online as they are offline.

I guess that really comes down to how much you invest in it. In most ways I regard my online friends the same as I do friends I know from school or otherwise. I talk to them the same way I do my other friends, with the same level of respect and expectation of respect. In some ways, though, I disagree, because I don't really think you can be 'pressured' into doing anything. I don't buy it-- any time there's something you don't feel like doing, you can just choose to close the window or ignore the email. It's not like you sit next the people every day and have to feel peer pressure.

[leslina.livejournal.com]

because I don't really think you can be 'pressured' into doing anything. I don't buy it-- any time there's something you don't feel like doing, you can just choose to close the window or ignore the email. It's not like you sit next the people every day and have to feel peer pressure.

Guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I do believe in free will but there's no denying the power of influence, persuasion, seduction, peer pressure, call it what you will. It's all the same and it's real and it exists in various incarnations.

Re:

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

we can agree to disaggree. :)

[beck-liz.livejournal.com]

I don't like Spander either. I like Xander and love Spike, so that's not the reason. And I love slash, so that's not the reason. I even like Spike and Xander stories, non-slash, where they're, like, bickering and stuff, but I don't like it when it goes into slash. I just... don't get it.

So I'm glad that other people dislike it, too. I get the reaffirming thing; I wondered if I just wasn't reading the right stories. I was attempting to read Anna's (eliade) Spander fanfic, and I normally adore her fanfic, but I couldn't make myself read the thing. So I realized it was just me; I don't like it. Period.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I was attempting to read Anna's (eliade) Spander fanfic, and I normally adore her fanfic, but I couldn't make myself read the thing.

I couldn't make myself read her fic either. Which is supremely strange in one way, because if you've read her Season Noir, there's a scene in that where Spike kisses Xander and says something like "Pass this message on to Buffy." All Xander did was continue to glare and him and then leave. And I loved that scene. I thought it was great. Then again, maybe not strange-- that was all about Spike and Buffy, and Spike pissing Xander off, so it wasn't really Spike/Xander much.