FANGARIUS/Sliders: The FANGARIAN World Series

Throughout the FANGARIUS Series (1982-87), there was one little quirk I subtly infused within the Paranormal Time Lord:  Parallel Universe Paraphenalia.  Long before the concept was truly fleshed out with Sliders, I recall a little known comic poking fun at it called Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew.

Captain Carrot got its start when Superman ends up being propelled
into a parallel universe, ending up on a planet called Earth-C.  There everything is an anthropomorphic realm from Superman's Earth.

Of course, Fanger accidentally ended up here once when the Time Collector's ChronoStaff extracted him from The Doctor's TARDIS.

Yet, I digress, as for Fanger himself, as with The Doctor, the Paranormal Time Lord began collecting an odd assortment of items from parallel universes.

Some of the items were in question: warped versions of Disney films on Vid-Discs (now DVDs) and VHS, Dracula authored by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein authored by Bram Stoker, The Twilight Zone being an anthological, comedic sitcom of weirdness (with Rod Serling as the main character), and other interesting curios along the way.


Sliders and Paranormal Time Lords

One difference between Fanger and The Doctor was the fact Fanger's TARDIS could travel into parallel dimensions.  Usually either by accident, or by a desperate escape attempt, Fanger would find himself on odd versions of Earth and other planets.

At the time I really had never given the concept much thought, until I was in college and some friends and I were talking about the series, and Sliders had come up.  One member had an idea involving the fact Quinn Mallory, Fanger and The Doctor all originate from the same Universe (Earth-Prime).  And what if during Mr. Mallory's sliding, somehow he and the Sliders crew end up going back, but instead wind up within Fanger's TARDIS.

Composing a short spin-off story, I remember the tale was spun in this manner.  While the Fourth Fanger performs some brief maintenance upon the TARDIS 2, a short within the Synchronic Omnidimensional Regulator causes the CVE Network (or Sliding Tunnels) to warp.  Quinn's Timer is affected by the warp and he and the Sliders end up within the TARDIS 2.

Regrettably, this causes the TARDIS 2's Emergency Cut-Out Systems to kick in, rendering both devices useless.  Another surprise is the fact Maximillian Arturo is related to Fanger.  In reality, Arturo's a 'retired' Time Lord, but not because of his pompous ideas.  Instead Fanger implies his uncle has a rare disorder which makes the relation unable to safely travel within TARDIS units or other dimensions.

Fourth Fanger [staring at Arturo]: So, I didn't realize you found a cure, eh?

Arturo [not looking at Fanger, but scowling]: Fangarius, I have not. And don't you start lecturing me.

F4: Wouldn't dream of it, Unc. But if I recall, you can't do what you're doing, let alone travel within a TARDIS.

Arturo [spinning round angrily at Fanger]: They never said 'can't'! (lowers his voice) They just said it wasn't recommended..

F4 (quizzically staring): There's a difference? (shaking his head) No matter, eventually, you'll have to inform Quinn, you know.

Arturo (silently speaking): I know, but know this, Little One, I shall tell him upon my own terms.

Later Fanger and Quinn discover the Daleks and F-Clones have been developing Parallel Dimensional travel, and attempt on conquering the Multiverse.  To prevent this, Fanger and Quinn jerry rig the Timer to the Helmic Regulator and Sychronic Omnidimensional Regulator.  The only drawback is, the powerful influx will propel the Sliders back into the CVE Network upon a randomized course.  But faced with the dangers of a Multiversal Invasion looming, Quinn admits it's worth the risk.  Activating the TARDIS 2 and Timer, the results work, trapping both Daleks and F-Clones' Multiversal Armadas into an isolated pocket universe.

However, as Fanger predicted, the Timer flings the Sliders out of the TARDIS 2, causing the TimeSpace craft to return back online, and sending them back on their randomized journey through parallel dimensions.

Although the story was concise, not unlike today's Doctor Who episodes, it did sort of lay the foundation for the Eighth Fanger's most wildest adventure, yet.  And the inspiration, ironically, was not with Quinn & Co., but from a classic Doctor Who mini-series.

The Key of the FANGARIAN World Series

Although David Tennant and Matt Smith are currently becoming the new faves as The Doctor, many can attest the ultimate classic favourite is still, and foremost, Tom Baker.  Mysteriously, if it had not been for one drawn out series, I doubt the new Doctor Who would have subtle story arcs per season.

In 1976, Graham Williams conceived the story arc called The Key to Time, in which The Doctor, K9 and the Time Lady, Romana, are employeed by the White Guardian in search of the ancient artefact in order to save the Universe from an entropic effect.

The series proved such an impact on me, I wanted to originally do something with Fanger along those lines, but it never really panned out.  Mainly because I wanted a completely different tale where Fanger had to search for something equally important, but not being a blatant lift from this story arc.

When I started drafting Project FANGARIUS, the concept resurfaced as my friends and I recalled the short story and thought why not?  Before I knew it, the Fangarian World Series - Sliders/FANGARIUS Crossover had begun in full swing.

Shortly after the events in PF, the White Guardian summons both Fanger and Quinn, informing them the Multiverse is endangered by the eight shattered TARDIS 2 Components.  Combining the TARDIS 2 Tracker with Quinn's Timer (or CVE Transponder, as Fanger calls it), Fanger and the Sliders commence on their search throughout the dimensions for his TARDIS Components.

Except here, Fanger and the Sliders crew (now with Colin and Maggie) were no longer just limited to parallel Earths, as they also travelled to alternate versions of Skaro and Mondas.  Also Fanger acknowledged the Kromaggs and their engimatic connection with the Cybermen and The Rani.   And Rickman was later revealed as being one of The Master's failed Incarnates (apparently when The Master's essence took over Rickman, the encephalitis had transmutated into a degenerative brain disorder).  Which also explained why Rickman killed Arturo, since Fanger suspected his uncle might've detected him and warned Quinn about the man.

There were eight tales in all (ten, if you count PF and the unofficial premiere episode) and in one of them, Fanger did encounter a mirror-image of himself called 'Gari,' who had fiendish plans for the TARDIS Component on Earth-Gamma.

Eventually, Fanger did finally reconstruct the TARDIS 2 and he and Quinn end up saving the Multiverse.  Only to later have Fanger merge his craft with a Video Rental/Video Gaming Store as a means for preventing the Sontarans from opening the Cardassian Rift in Baytown.

Afterwards the Eighth Fanger did fall once more into obscurity, until about 2005, when Doctor Who was revived, so was Fanger, but in a way no one, not even myself would expect.  One might even say I was Punk'd by what was yet-to-come.