Preliminary thoughts

[Great Rao]

In another thread, TELLE writes:

Awhile back (like, 1996) I started taking notes after I read or re-read any post-64 Superman family title, with the idea of updating the encyclopedia. I would suggest that users of this site do the same and submit the results to Rao --an open-source-style project to rival the Wikipedia. As has been noted, none of the Superboy, Supergirl, Legion, Lois or Jimmy material was covered in the original edition. We could overpower the post-Crisis world-view through sheer quantity of information available!

Any thoughts, Great Rao?

TELLE, keep those notes!

Thoughts:

How many people would be interested in participating in something like this?  I assume that once it got underway, it would take off - so to speak - much like Wikipedia, imdb, etc. all did.

I'm also assuming that we'd start with the material in The Great Superman Book, maybe flush it out with material from the titles that Fleisher missed - like Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, etc.  So the question becomes:  Just which titles?  I don't want this to be an entire DCU encylopedia, just Superman related.  So who and what should it cover?

Time period:  Action 1 (1938) up until - when?  Just before the Byrne MOS reboot?  Or up until Crisis?  Do we need to figure out just what the cut-off point is, or can we be more subjectively  judgmental as to what's canonical and what isn't during that final year?  (note: discussion on this question has been split off into a new thread.)

If enough poeple express an interest in possibly participating in this possible project, I can look into setting up mediawiki -- that big dynamic database based multi-user updated thing that Wikipedia, Wiktionary, etc. all use.

[Klar Ken T5477]

And there's ALL of Jimmy Olsen's permutations - Elastic Lad, Collosal Jimmy, Wolf boy, Porcupine Boy, Giant Turtle Man, etc. :shock:

[The Starchild]

You know, we're ignoring the most important question of all:

What to do about "The Master Mesmerizer of Metropolis"?  :lol:

[Gary]

What to do about "The Master Mesmerizer of Metropolis"?  :lol:

We'll do whatever the Master Mesmerizer tells us to do, of course.

[Great Rao]

Thanks Bill, it's on the up and up.

I've started entries for Halk Kar   (at least, that's what he's called in Fleisher's book, but I always thought it was Hulk Kar), Professor Potter, and Superman (which I'll be completing from the 138-page bio in the Fleisher book).  If you want to do pictures of them for their entries, that would be great, just create an account at the site and you'll be able to upload pictures and edit  the entries to include them.

I'm going to continue to add more Fleisher entries, if anyone else wants to help out -- with adding articles from the Fleisher book, updating them past 1964, or creating new entries for post 1964 characters or events -- the site is open.   Like Wikipedia, it's updatable by anyone.  Please remember, pre-1986 continuity only.  As you've already pointed out, the rest of the internet is post-1986 heavy and we need to add some weight in the other direction.

[Bill 9000]

Sounds good. I've just created an account, and my first official donation to the site will be my 1949 Superman from Generations (which is essentially the Pre-Crisis Superman anyway). :wink:

By the way, how large do you want the character images to be? I can adjust them to any specifications that are deemed necessary. I can also design a logo for the site, too, if everybody wants. Just to put any fears to rest, I really am a professional graphic artist.

Hee! This is gonna be soooooo fun!

[Klar Ken T5477]

I'm in too!  Not sure what I want to tackle at this point and I can also contribute some "original" art - my stuff or text.

Rao, pretty sure it's HALK KAR - just picked up an annual with that story reprinted.

I suppose I could do   2965 but I hate writing about "myself".  :wink:  :lol:

[Great Rao]

Sounds good. I've just created an account, and my first official donation to the site will be my 1949 Superman from Generations (which is essentially the Pre-Crisis Superman anyway). :wink:

Looks really good Bill, thanks!

By the way, how large do you want the character images to be? I can adjust them to any specifications that are deemed necessary. I can also design a logo for the site, too, if everybody wants. Just to put any fears to rest, I really am a professional graphic artist.

I put the picture you submitted on the main page.  I think the page looks fine on my 1024x768 monitor, but I most people might run at 800x600 or there might even be a few holdouts at 640x480, so maybe the inline pictures should be just a tad smaller?  What do your professional graphic artist sensibilities tell you?   I'd love to see what you could come up with for a logo.