Heroes: Who Is Gary Dreslinski?
Gary Dreslinski: I am a pseudonym for Barry Reese
H: What's Your Background?
GD: *looks* it's a forest. Heh, what do you want to know?
H: Where do you live?
GD: St Petersburg, Florida
H: For the benefit of those who might not be familiar with it, explain what AVENGERS2000 is.
GD: Avengers2000 is *the* premiere destination site on the Internet for Marvel Comics based fan fiction. Multiple imprints give it the ability to go far beyond it's original scope and create a multi-layered structure offering a little something for everyone interested in Marvel Comics Fan Fiction.
H: And what was your role at AVENGERS2000?
GD: Editor In Chief
H: What exactly does it mean to be The Editor In Chief of a fan fiction site? Is there any actual editing done?
GD: Heh, well as I set up the structure, there wasn't much of hands on editing done. Very little of what would be called "editing" is done at any fanfic site that I've ever belonged to, with the exception of Altered Visions and their beta reader system. Ours was a much more laid back system, we had some inexperienced writers working with some of our more "known talent". You didn't tend to get in the door in the first place unless I thought you could handle yourself with minimal editorial interference. My version of EiC was more CEO style. I got the best talent I could get my hands on, and I let them do what they do best without being micromanaged.
H: How long were you Editor In Chief and how did you get the position?
GD: I got the job in; hmmm I used to know this off the top of my head. April 2000 I think it was. So I had it for about 6 years. Barry Reese founded the site, and when he decided to move on, as Barry does was when he spots something shiny out of the corner of his eye, he asked around about who wanted the job. The people he asked first didn't want it, and the other side’s faction hated the two top contenders. He needed to give it to someone they both could get along with - which was me. Which is funny thinking of me as the non-controversial choice!
H: What are the benefits of being Editor In Chief and what are the drawbacks?
GD: Benefits: Absolute power! And of course the half naked woman coming and going from the offices all day long. Drawbacks - that these things only existed in my own mind! *g* Seriously, being able to create something wonderful. Coming up with this vision and watch it, piece by piece, being put together. That's a complete and utter rush. The downside of that is that fanfic writers tend to have no appreciation for timetables. They want things *now* and when they take a longer time to come about, they get frustrated. It's an ego thing, it's an impatience thing - but most of all it's an annoying thing. You lay out years worth of plans, moving this little thing here and that little thing there and fanfic groups tend to get thrown together so quickly that there is very little appreciation for detail or respect for the long range stability.
H: What do you think your major contributions as Editor In Chief of AVENGERS2000 were?
GD: I established the first true multi-imprint fanfic site. Before, when a site closed down, 9 times out 10 those stories were lost. I still have no idea why. Even if it's just in terms of an archive, getting rid of the feeling that what we were doing was temporary and disposable, I think that was a big contribution.
H: What influenced you to leave your position as Editor In Chief?
GD: Real Life. I got divorced, I got depressed, it was harder to focus and I had people who *were focused* on instant gratification. I decided to step down on my own terms rather than hurt the site by trying to maintain something where that spark just wasn't there anymore for me. They always say to keep doing the things you love, and when you stop loving, stop doing it. It was starting to become an uphill journey and I knew my team well enough to know that the only thing the site *truly* needed was new blood and energy at the top. So I gave it to them!
H: You also wrote extensively for the site and many of your works are highly regarded such as SENTINELS OF LIBERTY. Why do you think that series is still so popular?
GD: Honestly? Because of the same detail that made the site work that got some frustrated. I had a LONG-range plan and made no pretense about not showing it. It's a smart book that is still a fun read.
H: What were your intentions during the writing of SENTINELS OF LIBERTY?
GD: Obviously there was going to be a showdown between Raven and Crow - between free will and blind obedience. That was what the title was about after all. In the end? The Sentinels would have had to make that choice - do they want to continue being characters moved around at the whims of some author. It's Live Free Or Die. THAT was what "Armageddon" was going to be about. Barry did a wonderful job with a replacement series. But where the entire Avengers 2000 universe was going was to on our 10th anniversary, Kitty Pryde was going to make the decision to end the universe.*g*
H: Your HULK series is also memorable. Why The Hulk? How did the character speak to you?
GD: Why the HULK? I think it was Barry who said, "You should write the Hulk". I said, "Um, ok. sure". Then I went and read the issues before the cut off and realized that the post David stuff made the sense leading into Byrne's run (which was where the cut off was). Everyone was ok with the Hulk, he was moving on and well adjusted and the next thing you know he was smashing through an airplane!!! The more I thought about it, the more I got into his head, and there was only one explanation for it to make sense. (the real reason of course was that Byrne didn't read the issues and didn't care, but I didn't have that luxury) The abuse angle, obviously, spoke a great deal to me. As well as the other side of that, having seen a monster up close and personal, the steps you would take to keep yourself from becoming a monster.
If there’s any thread going through my more serious fanfic work it's
personal responsibility and having the strength to make your own
decisions.
H: You had an extensive run on THE DEFENDERS. What do you like about those characters that caused you to write 25 issues about them?
GD: I actually sent out The Defenders prop the night I was mugged. As the guy was kicking me I was on my face, bleeding, in the alley actually mapping out the plot line in my head thinking "If I survive this this had better be a kick ass series!"
Part of the fun of the title was that Alex Maggi had been so elaborate with various plans, and Barry Reese had been big with his plans on other titles and then they both left MV1! So all these plots were hanging out there, and with the month/year system we knew where they were going - because of references in other books. We just didn't know how they got there. There were only so many characters not dibbed and with Alex's love of large lineups I inherited a massive headache.
Plus, Mark Bousquet had started an arc, but then changed his mind about it - and Will Short was writing Dr. Strange *without* Dr. Strange... But I worked that into my favor and came up with several story arcs where I *actually got to throw the kitchen sink* that the readers!
H: Why did you stop writing fan fiction?
GD: The same reason I stepped down as EiC. It just wasn't in me to keep doing it. Maybe someday I'll come back. Who knows.
H: Would you like to share your current opinion on fan fiction?
GD: Honestly? I haven't been following it closely. I see mentions now and again and I poke my head onto the list.
It seems like there is still the "oldie" and "newbie" gap. Maybe it's less now that more of us "oldies" are leaving. The people who had founded everything were the group before I got into fanfic and a bunch of them had already gotten in and were on their way out by the time I got there. My group stayed around for longer than expected and I think that made things stagnate as far as development of new ideas. But I also think it gives fanfic some stability that it very much needs.
It's nice to hear that Heroes is back under new management. But I haven't had the chance to look at it yet.
H: Do you see yourself actively returning to AVENGERS2000 in particular and fan fiction in general?
GD: I'm not saying never. But it's unlikely. If I DO return though, it will be to Avengers2000.
H: Do you have any other writing ambitions?
GD: I'm currently 1/4 of the way through what might be my first novel. (don't want to jinx it.*g*)
H: What are your influences?
GD: Amos Tutuola. I think that it's obvious to anyone who reads my stuff that Gabriel Garcia Marquez influences me. For some reason my Doom Patrol run kind of came out like if Grant Morrison was channeling Balzac.
I also love the accessibility of people like Harry Turtledove and Jose Saramago. I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that as far as structure of making a *fanfic* story instead of just one long ramble that I was heavily influenced by Barry Reese and Neil Gow. I learned a great deal from them.
H: Hobbies? Other interests?
GD: Well, LiveJournal of course! And running LJ Idol. Hmmm... I don't know. Watching more TV than is healthy- and I love going to the gym to work out which is a development that surprised even me!
H: What's a typical Day In The Life Of Gary Dreslinski like?
GD: Very, very dull. I get up. Get ready for work. Ride the bus to work. Work - and get in whatever net time I can. Finish up at work. Take the bus home and spend most of the rest of the night watching TV and talking to friends on the phone. About an hour to an hour and half before bed, I write.
H: Here's your chance to give somebody a shoutout. Go.
GD: Des Davies is the hardest working - and the person I most admire - in fanfic. The guy has class and talent coming out of every pore.
H: What's your favorite STAR TREK show and movie?
GD: “New Frontier”. Not a show *yet* but it should be. Favorite Star Trek movie? Probably “The Wrath of Khan”.
H: What else should we know about Gary Dreslinski?