Enter into Fanger's realm and learn how the Paranormal Wolf-Being got his start. Not to mention meeting some of his 'relations' & 'acquaintances' along the way.
As it was aforementioned in past entries, I never originally used celebrities as models for Fanger until his Fifth Incarnate. The Sixth Incarnate was genuinely a fluke since I wasn’t even trying to illustrate John Ritter, whereas the Seventh Incarnate was based on a rejected character by Martin Short. So how exactly did Jerry O’Connell wind up being the basis for the Eighth Fanger?
It all started with Mr. O’Connell’s first film and a bet I had made with my aunt. My Aunt Cassandra and I would stay up and watch late night movies. As a quirk, my aunt loved reading tarot cards on celebrities as we watched their movies, and she’d predict their futures. Turned out one night we were watching the classic ‘Stand By Me,’ with Wil Wheaton and (naturally) Jerry O’Connell.
At the time, you recall Mr. O’Connell’s role was Vern Tessio, the rotund boy who was usually picked on by the group. Yet, without him, I doubt the story would’ve gotten started, since he informed his friends about going and search for a dead body. In one scene, where the group has Vern carry their packs, the character fumes as he’s attempting to catch up along the tracks. At one moment when Vern grumbles, ‘I’ll show them all,’ my aunt was reading his fortune and noted in real life, Mr. O’Connell would actually become more famous than Mr. Wheaton.
Considering the time, I made a wager with my aunt, if her prediction came true, I’d base one of Fanger’s Future Incarnates upon Mr. O’Connell. Who knew ol’ Jerry would make it big with My Secret Identity and, later, Sliders?
Ironically, it was Sliders which not only rekindled the bet, but also inspired the Eighth Fanger on the rumour behind The Doctor’s return. Although the series had come out one year before the film itself, back in 1994, there had been murmurs about the possibility of Mr. O’Connell being cast as the US counterpart of The Doctor. Despite the fact there was no validity to the report, the concept had intrigued me, since Quinn Mallory did possess a bit of a Time Lord persona.
In fact, the Fourth Fanger had once encountered the Sliders due to a mishap with the TARDIS 2 and Quinn’s Timer (which Fanger identified as a Charged Vacuum Emboitment Transit). Thus, keeping my word with my aunt, when Project FANGARIUS was done, I had used Jerry O’Connell as the basis for the Eighth Fanger.
The Eighth Fanger
Absent for almost a decade, Fanger’s Eighth Incarnation would prove being somewhat of a challenge for me. Although I had the basis, I had wondered what direction I should take his new persona. One reason was because, if you’ve been keeping up, both the Sixth and Seventh Fanger had not been legitimately around for their personas to genuinely form properly.
Here’s was the condensed recap: The Sixth Fanger possessed a serious guise with a bit of a temperament to match, while the Seventh Fanger ended up being a bit more bohemian, if not erratic, nature. Thus, the main problem was, at the time, I absolutely had no idea on how the next Incarnation should act and behave. Not to mention I really had no scope model to go on.
Essentially, despite the fact Fanger ended up appearing like Quinn Mallory, I really didn’t want to make F8 into a clone of that character. Subtly as I was fleshing out the character’s initial design, I decided on adding a bit of elements from the previous Incarnates and see how it would fly.
Turned out the end result was the Eighth Fanger being somewhat of an inquisitive sort with a reckless innocent nature and a bit crotchety at times. Mainly because although Fanger did emanate a youthful appearance, in reality, he’s about (at the time) over 650 years old.
The interesting catalyst which helped his new persona was the lack of the TARDIS 2. Unlike Jon Pertwee’s Doctor being exiled to Earth, one interesting concept was when I deciding on starting the Fangarian World Series specials, was Fanger would not have his TimeSpace craft to rely on for getting him out of jams. Instead the Eighth Fanger solely relied on his resourcefulness, while transversing the Multiverse to locate his craft’s components and reassemble the TARDIS 2.
Although the specials were about eight episodes, they were enough to develop Fanger’s new self into a whole new character. Even if it proved in being a bumpy ride along the way.
The Summer of ’89 had brought about one interesting commonality between Doctor Who and FANGARIUS: both series had wound up within temporal limbo. Though one might say FANGARIUS was ‘unofficially’ cancelled in 1987, whereas two years later, Doctor Who had acquired the similar fate.
Consequently while the good Doctor had to contend with questionable BBC Programmers, Fanger’s fate originated on the fact, after about a decade of his intradimensional travels, I had simply gotten burned out with his adventures.
In the meantime, I embarked on other projects, like Enigma County Texas—inspired both by the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Steve Jackson’s Role-Playing Series Toon. During my college years, Fanger started appearing less and less in my strips, thus producing two other series for my college publications.
Snaps – Basically an updated version of Pogo in Baytown, Texas, but with a turtle as the main star (yes, you can blame the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for this). Fred Snorton – an anthropomorphic, canine version of a famous sanitation worker, made his debut here. Memu Emu, a high-society emu, also made an appearance as well.
UHCL Critters/Anything Goes! – Random nonsense about college life, which brought about Ted S. Loban, Einstein Wassameier (a hedgehog), and Chuckwing the Bloodfruit Bat. Although the Fifth Fanger (posing as a college professor) did make some appearances in this series, the real stars of UHCLC/AG! were Ted and Chuckwing.
Meanwhile Fanger himself had been lent out in far-out spin-offs by my college buddies. Two of which were considered part of the Underground Comix series:
Not FANGARIUS – Think Torchwood & Barbarella gone horribly wrong. NF dealt with an alternate version of Fanger – Fun Garias (aka Gari), a Paranormal Wolf-Being traveling dimensions, unwittingly ending up in some extremely sexual situations along the way.
Definitely NOT FANGARIUS – A perverse, adult version of the FANGARIUS series, not unlike Orgazmo (the comic, not the film). Except here, the lead was Francis (aka Ran), a Paranormal EroTime Lord from the planet Gallisex. According to this author, Ran’s constant nemesis weren’t Dalek-based, but erotic alien lifeforms called the Penai.
(Ed. Note: Wondering why no pics of these two series? Well, since Underground Comix were rather new to me, I never realized how uninhibited these series were. Otherwise I’d have better discretion on whom I lend out the character to, even if they did have the decency for altering their images. Anyway, once when my relations helping me clean out my archives, they had regrettably come across these two strips, which they both had promptly ended up in File 13 post haste.)
Nevertheless, despite some other off-beat tales of the Paranormal Time Lord (with Fanger visiting both the DC and Marvel Universe), Fanger had still remained in creative limbo.
Back in 1995, while I was dealing with some personal events (my Dad had experienced a stroke), I had been consoled by some of my friends back during my high school and college days. We had heard about the BBC and FOX Television reviving Doctor Who as a television film, and hopefully resurrect (or regenerate, as the case may be) the series. Because we were excited, we began talking about the DW RPG-Club and FANGARIUS. Secretly we always wanted to do a better special episode for the Seventh Fanger, since we felt the series itself had abruptly ended.
Almost immediately, my friends had suggested I formulate a new FANGARIUS tale as well.
Since FANGARIUS’ 20th Anniversary (1997) was approaching, I wanted devising a particularly special episode commemorating the Paranormal Time Lord’s creation. However, the problem was, I never liked conjuring forth ‘reunion’ stories because they always seemed to be something one finds in the Scooby-Doo Movies.
But as with all things in life, I never had imagined both a forgotten promise, a series and an anime film would become the vital components for an epic I denoted as Project FANGARIUS.
Project FANGARIUS – The Plot
Several months after the Kain Incident, the Masaki Household has not fully recovered from the dimension-bending experience. Tenchi Masaki has been having recurring nightmares about visiting what appears to be a planet, but yet, not a planet. Helmed by what appears to be a Juraian, the figure turns out to possess dark hands with claw-like fingertips and a wolf’s tail. Tenchi chillingly discovers the planet to be actually a TARDIS—denoted as La Genèse (Genesis)—and the pseudo-Juraian has plans for launching it.
Regrettably if La Genèse is launched, its power will threaten not just Tenchi’s Universe, but the Multiverse as well. Even worse, Tenchi awakens when the being gets word that the final component has been procured, and the one who has it is none other than Fangarius himself.
Meanwhile, all isn’t well with Ayeka and Ryoko, since both have their own reasons to be pensive. Enigmatically Ayeka has been summoned back to Jurai, and learns the Elders aren’t pleased about Kain. Inexplicably, Fanger and The Doctor’s name are mentioned as well as Rassilon and Omega. This makes the Juraian Princess ponder on how Gallifrey and the Time Lords are relevant to all of this, while Ryoko has other problems.
Seems during her pirate days, she was supposed to originally end up being the Sixth Fanger’s Companion, but at the time, she and Ryo-Ohki were attempting to escape from Salerion. Consequently, Salerion used a dimensional extrapolator to ensnare her within a pocket universe (in the form of a mummy), thus she never could warn the Paranormal Time Lord.
Kiyone could be having better days as well. Due to Kain’s escape, the Galactic Police end up suspending her and Mihoshi for allowing him to do so (apparently, Mihoshi forgot to inform her partner that she was responsible for the subspace prison containing Kain). However, Kiyone suspects something when her lineage to Fanger has been brought into question. And some research reveals the truth behind Kain, prompting her to head for Washu’s lab.
Washu has been feverishly working in her dimension lab, because she knows the truth behind Kain. The ‘Kain’ they fought was not the real one, but in reality a shadow constructed out of Strange Matter. When Kiyone enters, Washu reveals the truth as The Inquisitor shows up. Seems the real Kain was once a Jurai scientist helping out Gallifrey discover intradimensional travel. In essence, he had been Omega’s assistant when the first Time Lord had plunged themselves into a black hole. However, where Omega had perished within an Antimatter universe, Kain’s physical form had been converted into Strange Matter. Originally, Kain blamed Jurai and Gallifrey for the mishap and had originally exacted revenge on both, until Achika, with the help of the Clanstribes, had imprisoned him. But in truth, the Locanshites (first mentioned here) realized others might be looking for Kain. Thus, they ‘split’ him into two parts, keeping the intelligent, corporeal one locked away on Dragard, while the shadow form had remained within a subspace prison at the Galaxy Police HQ.
Secretly Washu knows more than she’s letting on, but The Inquisitor has sensed Tenchi’s dreams. From his own personal experiences, The Inquisitor realizes these visions are anything but fantasy…
Meanwhile, across the vast Multiverse, Quinn Mallory and company are discovering a disaster of their own epic proportions. Recently the last few Earths they’ve visited have started vanishing out-of-existence. The only clue they have to this malady is an alien force claiming only Fangarius can stop the impending doom.
Speaking of which, La Genèse looms at the Edge of the Universe, Salerion smiles approvingly at his latest innovation. Decked in his Juraian attire, he admits integrating both Jurai and Gallifreyan Tech for engineering this planet-sized TARDIS, while transdimensionally it literally harbors its own Universe. However, for now the vast TimeSpace vehicle remains inert until the last component is installed.
The familiar materialization sound resonates throughout the vessel as the TARDIS 2 appears, reverted back into the multicolored police box from its jade Oriental pagoda exterior. Escorted by Salerion’s own Jurai-grown guards, the Seventh Fanger emerges appearing with a strange crystalline device with a mercuric hourglass set within its center.
Identified as the Chronocosmizcon, it can ultimately provide unlimited energy to any time-space device, even TARDISes. Fanger’s innovation was actually a mechanization devised by Salerion, whom Fanger identifies as Fangexlcoatl’s brother. Although the Paranormal Time Lord warns La Genèse will destroy the Multiverse, Salerion admits that’s precisely what he wants to do. Rather than simply launch a massive invasion, the fiendish former Fangarian plans on cleansing every dimension, making way for a Paranormal realm of his design.
Before Fanger can protest, Salerion installs the device and activates La Genèse. At the same moment Quinn and his group enter the portal. The result causes the entire fabric of the Multiverse to rip apart. Sensing the Sliders’ agony, as well as infinite lives screaming, Fanger desperately initiates a last-ditch effort. Fortunately, Washu has been monitoring the situation and intervenes by blowing out the craft’s Helmic Regulator.
Utilizing his sonic screwdriver, Fanger disconnects the Chronocosmizcon and makes a desperate escape in the TARDIS 2. The getaway is ultimately short-lived as Salerion launches Hyper-torpedoes directly towards the police box. Buffeted beyond repair, the TARDIS 2’s Hostile Action Displacement System (HADS) activates, propelling the multicolored police box crash-lands in Houston, Texas, December 30, 2000.
Washu also quickly intervenes, saving the Sliders through a Dimensional Wave Generator Field. Although she manages to bring them to Earth-Prime (Fanger and Quinn’s Earth), unfortunately she scatters the team throughout Fanger’s Timeline. With one member landing inside the severely damaged TARDIS 2 and critically-injured Paranormal Time Lord.
Back at La Genèse, Salerion doesn’t consider Fanger’s motive as a setback. Since he can’t simply wait for his relation to create another Chronocosmizcon, Salerion decides on implementing the craft’s Timescoop to extract ALL of Fanger’s Past Incarnates from their Time streams. However Washu’s one step ahead, as she sends Tenchi and the others through Fanger’s Timeline.
As for the Seventh Fanger, his final days come as the Slider member and a strange person called Colin get him admitted to Hermann Hospital. Dr. Grace Holloway, a cardiologist on loan from San Francisco, learns about Hermann’s new patient with ‘two hearts,’ and immediate treats Fanger, mistaking him for The Doctor. Fanger ends up flatlining in the middle of the night, but before he can be rushed to the Morgue, he promptly enters into his Seventh Regeneration. Resembling Quinn Mallory, Fanger gets taken over by the ChronoSpirit, TimeStorm, who kidnaps the Slider member and Colin and shanghais the TARDIS 2. Piloting it to the End of Time, TimeStorm informs them this is the only safe haven from Salerion while the Eighth Fanger recovers and the TARDIS 2 regenerates itself.
The rest of the plot entails a tour de force of Fanger’s Past Incarnations as well as Past versions of The Doctor and Companions, including Sarah Jane Smith and Jamie McCrimmon. Salerion also acquires the unwarranted attention of some villains as well ranging from the Daleks, F-Clones, Sontarans and displaced Cybermen. Although they manage to foil Salerion’s Timescoop scheme, the Fourth Fanger (currently exiled with the Third Doctor) realizes until they confront his demented cousin, they’ll never be safe.
This action ends up getting all but Fanger’s Eighth Incarnate captured by Salerion. Fortunately due to Salerion’s short-sightedness, his mind probes fail to function since the Fourth Fanger he’s acquired was during the Third Doctor’s Exile. Meaning the Time Lords have not only blocked F4’s knowledge of TARDIS engineering, but also his own personal design to the Chronocosmizcon. Taking advantage of the anomaly, the Fourth Fanger immediately sends a message to his Eighth self, who takes his Companions back to La Genèse, for the final showdown.
Despite freeing his Past selves, they discovered they’re trapped as Salerion uses his craft to literally assault the TARDIS 2, using its Chronocosmizcon as its power source. Washu teleports Grace Holloway into the TARDIS 2, where she attempts to stop the process, but instead teleports the Eighth Fanger inside the craft. Dying, T2 informs the Paranormal Time Lord there’s only one solution to stop Salerion once and for all. Reluctantly Fanger knows as he and Grace head towards an ancient room past the Cloisters. Revealing the Heart of the TARDIS 2, Fanger takes his sonic screwdriver and thrusts it into its power source. Shattering the transdimensional craft, Fanger severs the connection causing La Genèse to start collapsing within itself. Before they can perish along Salerion within a pocket dimension, Washu uses Fanger’s BioData Extract to key in on all of his Incarnates and they teleport safely back to her lab with their Companions.
Washu promptly sends everyone to their proper dimensions in Time. Unfortunately Mihoshi accidentally hurls the Sliders back upon a randomized course through the Multiverse. Whereas Fanger, in his new form, laments over the loss of his craft, now stranded on modern-day Earth.
However.. two months later into the new millennium (2001).. Fanger receives a curious message from the White Guardian… something about the Paranormal Time Lord having to save the Multiverse from his TARDIS…
Thus ends Project FANGARIUS – and the beginning of new adventures for the Eighth Fanger.
Project FANGARIUS – The Anomalous Revisions
Although the plot was originally straightforward there were many revisions later, according to future episodes of the Eighth and (currently) Ninth Fanger. Here’s what some of them were:
·Originally the Sliders crew were going to be from Season One (Quinn, Wade, Arturo, Rembrandt), since I composed a FANGARIUS/Sliders short story where the Fourth Fanger encounters the group due to the TARDIS 2’s faulty dimensional stabilizer and Quinn’s malfunctioning Timer. In fact, Arturo turned out to be Fanger’s uncle (on his mother’s side) who was being punished for abusing his powers. However, considering when the actual story would be penned, it was decided Season Four (Quinn, Colin, Maggie and Rembrandt) would be the ones used in this story, for relevance to the timeframe.
·The aliens who warn the Sliders about Salerion were supposed to be the Zercurvians from the Acclaim Comics’ adaptation. But later it seemed more practical in using the Kromaggs instead, which the Eighth Fanger would later discover a horrifying connection between them and the Cybermen.
·Charlie O’Connell (Jerry’s brother) was seen as Colin Mallory later in Season Four Sliders, but the Colin Mallory here was originally an alternate persona generated by T2. In the original plot, Colin secretly leads Grace and Fanger towards the transdimensional source for the Paranormal Time Lord to shatter the TARDIS 2. But later when Colin Mallory was cast, the Eighth Fanger suspected something amiss when Colin pensively accepts Fanger as a Gallifreyan doppelganger of his brother.
·Project FANGARIUS started out as simply a Regeneration story, but since this was supposed to commemorate Fanger’s Twentieth Anniversary, it quickly evolved into a Eight Fangers tale with some of The Doctor’s past selves and Companions thrown in for good measure.
·Later Fanger admits Kain's incarceration setup was also known by both the ParaCouncil and Shadow Proclamation. The reason they did this was so no one would know about Kain's true plight and attempt to conduct inhumane experiments upon him.
Of course, nothing was more intricate than how exactly the Eighth Fanger had come into existence...
