From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Self-consistent fictional setting with elements that may differ from the real world
A
fictional universe
(also called an
imagined universe
or a
constructed universe
) is the
internally consistent
fictional
setting
used in a
narrative work
or
work of art
, most commonly associated with works of
fantasy
and
science fiction
. Fictional universes appear in
novels
,
comics
,
films
,
television shows
,
video games
,
art
, and other creative works.
[1]
[2]
In science fiction, a fictional universe may be a remote alien planet or galaxy with little apparent relationship to the real world (as in
Star Wars
); in fantasy it may be a greatly fictionalized or invented version of Earth's distant past or future (as in
The Lord of the Rings
).
[1]
Fictional continuity
[
edit
]
In a 1970 article in
CAPA-alpha
, comics historian
Don Markstein
provided a definition of fictional
universe
meant to clarify the concept of fictional continuities. According to the criteria he imagined:
[3]
- If characters A and B have met, then they are in the same universe; if characters B and C have met, then,
transitively
, A and C are in the same universe.
- Characters cannot be connected by real people?otherwise, it could be argued that
Superman
and the
Fantastic Four
were in the same universe, as Superman met
John F. Kennedy
, Kennedy met
Neil Armstrong
, and Armstrong met the Fantastic Four.
- Characters cannot be connected by characters "that do not originate with the publisher"?otherwise it could be argued that Superman and the Fantastic Four were in the same universe, as both met
Hercules
.
- Specific fictionalized versions of real people?for instance, the version of
Jerry Lewis
from
DC Comics
'
The Adventures of Jerry Lewis
, who was distinct from the real Jerry Lewis in that he had a housekeeper with magical powers?
can
be used as connections; this also applies to specific versions of public-domain fictional characters, such as
Marvel Comics' version of Hercules
or
DC Comics' version of Robin Hood
.
- Characters are only considered to have met if they appeared together in a story; therefore, characters who simply appeared on the same front cover are not necessarily in the same universe.
Collaboration
[
edit
]
Fictional universes are sometimes shared by multiple prose authors, with each author's works in that universe being granted approximately equal canonical status. For example,
Larry Niven
's fictional universe
Known Space
has an approximately 135-year period in which Niven allows other authors to write stories about the
Man-Kzin Wars
. Other fictional universes, like the
Ring of Fire
series
, actively court canonical stimulus from fans, but gate and control the changes through a formalized process and the final say of
the editor and universe creator
.
[4]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Alberto Manguel
and
Gianni Guadalupi
:
The Dictionary of Imaginary Places
, New York : Harcourt Brace, c2000.
ISBN
0-15-100541-9
- Brian Stableford
:
The Dictionary of Science Fiction Places
, New York : Wonderland Press, c1999.
ISBN
0-684-84958-5
- Diana Wynne Jones
:
The Tough Guide to Fantasyland
, New York : Firebird, 2006.
ISBN
0-14-240722-4
, Explains and parodies the common features of a standard fantasy world
- George Ochoa
and
Jeffery Osier
:
Writer's Guide to Creating A Science Fiction Universe
, Cincinnati, Ohio :
Writer's Digest Books
, 1993.
ISBN
0-89879-536-2
- Michael Page and
Robert Ingpen
:
Encyclopedia of Things That Never Were
: Creatures, Places, and People
, 1987.
ISBN
0-14-010008-3
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Countries
, counties, and states
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Planets, worlds, and
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