DPP: Fandom Firsts

[shah-of-blah.livejournal.com]

Hello no_takebacks , I'm shah_of_blah  and I'll be driving the DPP this week.  (Advance warning: in light of that poll we had a few weeks ago and my own schedule, I may not post every day.  We'll see.)

But for today, I wanted to talk about firsts.  Not Kara and Lee's firsts, since canon aside, I'm pretty sure we've all talked about that before.  No, I mean our first experiences with this fandom.  What was the first episode you saw?  Your first impression of Lee, Kara, or Kara/Lee?  How about the first fic you read?  First icon you used?  First vid you watched?  If you're a writer/artist/vidder, what was the first fan creation you made for Kara and Lee?  How did these firsts shape your interpretation of the fandom and the ship?

I'll go first.  The first episode I saw was 33 and I was very confused.  But the guy I was watching it with gave me a brief bio of each character as they appeared on screen.  When Kara came striding around her Viper, he said "That's Starbuck, and she's awesome."  When I eventually got around to watching the series (starting with the mini), it was with that first impression in mind.  I saw the whole show through that lens, and if you've ever read my journal it should be pretty clear that I am still all about Starbuck and her awesomeness.

As for fandom, I don't totally remember, but I think the first fic I read was Long Shadows.  Now, it's not really one of my favorites for a variety of reasons, but it's 100% Kara-centric so that should tell you something about my preferences.  I was already familiar with the author--Alec Star--from my BtVS days so as soon as I had reached the appropriate point in the series (Home) I rushed over to his page to read the story.  Of course, then I also read Control (since apparently I have none) and thus spoiled myself rather thoroughly for Occupation.  Oops.

For the first icon I used (not counting my shitty hand-made icons)...well, I fail at my own DPP because I can't find it.  But it was by unightfog , and it was from a cap of Kara smiling when she sees Lee in Home Part 1.  

First vid: not necessarily the first vid I ever watched, but definitely one of the first and the first one I enjoyed: dualbunny 's God Is A DJ.  There's just no way to resist this vid.  Plus I have a lot of affection for it since it taught me that I could like fanvids.  Woohoo!

And the first fic I wrote for this fandom was a little ficlet called Horizon that was about adjusting to life on a planet after years of living in artificial gravity.  More specifically, it was about how Kara and Lee's child adjusted to life on a planet.  So I guess you could say that my first offering in this fandom was, well, babyfic (or childfic if you want to be more specific).

So those are my fandom firsts.  What about you guys?  Indulge me in a little trip down memory lane.

Comments

[daybreak777.livejournal.com]

Hi Shah! I'll answer! I hope people don't get tired of my answers as they don't change much. But I like to remember. :-)

1. First episode. 33. Back-to-back with Water. I couldn't walk away. I liked TOS so I expected full Starbuck awesomeness and wasn't disappointed.

2. First impressions. I was intrigued with Kara but still trying to get to know the whole 'world' of this show. I didn't care much for Lee. He seemed to be into his Daddy issues at the end of the world! I do remember being confused over the stimulants conversation in 33. Were they really mad? Oh, no. Okaaaay. ;-)

3. First fic. Ooh, I printed them out. I think they were Intra and Never Be Warm again. I still have the print-outs. :-)

4. First icon. Can't remember. But this is one of my oldest icons, if not the oldest ones of all the ones I have now.

5. First pilots vid was Cold, Cold Water by sdwolfpup. That vid never gets old.

6. First fannish pilots creation. It's still a WIP. But my first public K/L fic was this one. (http://daybreak777.livejournal.com/19479.html)

How first impressions shaped fandom and the ship.
My first impression was that fan fic was well-written! That really surprised me because the little fanfic I'd read before in another fandom was really, really bad. Also people seemed so nice and close to one another on LJ. And the love for K/L was wide and deep and hard. Gosh, they were loved hard. Every new pic, every new piece of BSG or K/L news hit LJ or TWoP like news of a natural disaster. It was pretty awesome. :-) I lurked and read and read and read.

And the show was really, really good and the kids were sooo cute. So cute and so sad. Fingerpainting, busting knees and boxing and dreams and sweet, impulsive kisses hello. Hope was high and life worth living for the kids, you know what I mean? Yeah, Kara and Lee thought they were emo then. They had no idea!

Ah, you mentioned Horizon! You know how I feel about that story since it influenced four of my stories! Horizon will always hold a special place for me. :-)

[shah-of-blah.livejournal.com]

Hey DB! Hee, my answers don't change too much either. But I like talking about them anyway. :P

3. Oh, those stories. They make me shiver they're so good. I think Intra is one of my top ten (maybe top five) fics in the whole fandom.

6. Ooh, I loved that little fic! Thanks for the reminder. And oh look, I commented too (on the babyfic parts, naturally).

My first impression was that fan fic was well-written! That really surprised me because the little fanfic I'd read before in another fandom was really, really bad.
Hee, I had the same thought! I mean, sure, I'd read some fantastic fic before but I'd also read a ton of badfic (it didn't help that my standards were much lower). But everyone seemed so talented and mature here.

Oh, happy fingerpainting pilots. Remember that old icon that said "My fandom fingerpaints" or something like that? It was my favorite when I was a lurker. So cute.

Yup, I thought of the excellent stories that have been tied into Horizon when I was writing that! It still amazes me sometimes, what came out of that little story.