Win Scott Eckert

Win Scott Eckert is an author and editor, best known for his work on the literary-crossover Wold Newton Universe, created by author Philip José Farmer, but much expanded-upon subsequently by Eckert and others. He holds a B.A. in Anthropology and a Juris Doctorate.

Creation of the "Wold Newton Universe"

Win Scott Eckert first read Philip José Farmer's "fictional biography" "", and become hooked by the concept of the Wold Newton family. In 1997, he coined the term "Wold Newton Universe" on his website, An Expansion of Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Pulp2.htm] . This was the first site attempting to expand Farmer's concept of an inter-linked history for a number of key literary characters.

caused a genetic mutation in the occupants of a passing coach.:"The radiation caused a genetic mutation in those present, which endowed many of their descendants with extremely high intelligence and strength, as well as an exceptional capacity and drive to perform good, or, as the case may be, evil deeds". [ [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Pulp.htm Win Scott Eckert's "Wold Newton Universe" website] . Accessed January 18, 2008]

Their (fictional) descendants, therefore, became the stallwarts of fantastic fiction. Farmer's initial family trees include such luminaries (and their ancestors and descendants) as Sherlock Holmes, Lord Greystoke, A.J. Raffles, (Conan Doyle's)Professor Challenger, Sir Percy Blakeney, (Poe's) C. Auguste Dupin, Lord Peter Wimsey, Bulldog Drummond and Nero Wolfe; [ [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/tarzan_tree.gifFarmer's Tarzan Family Tree, from "Tarzan Alive"] . Accessed January 18, 2008] James Bond, Mr Moto, Philip Marlowe, Kilgore Trout, Sam Spade, Professor Moriarty (A.K.A. Captain Nemo), Phileas Fogg, Wells' Time Traveller and Fu Manchu. [ [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/savage_tree.gifFarmer's Doc Savage Family Tree, from ""] . Accessed January 18, 2008]

Eckert, and others, expanded upon Farmer's concept of the Wold Newton "Family", using the family trees as a central device to expand the fictional universe that the family inhabits, by documenting crossovers between said fictional characters in various media. Thus, the original core, related Wold Newton Family became a Universe, no longer tied to being the relatives, descendants and ancestors of those present at the 1795 Wold Newton meteor strike. (Eckert also expanded the 'main' family tree in 2002. [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/main_tree.gif] )

The logical presumption from the family trees was that most - if not all - fictional characters could be said to share the same universe. Farmer himself penned a number of crossover fiction stories and novels set in what is now termed the Wold Newton Universe [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Pulp3.htm] , largely based around the three central pillars of "Tarzan", "Holmes" and "Savage", but also incorporating (among others) Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos into the universe. Subsequently, the early history of the WNU has been expanded forwards and backwards in time to incorporate the very early history of Conan (through the works of Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, Roy Thomas and others), right through to the far-future exploits of the many characters in the Star Trek universe.

Eckert (and others)'s tireless work in bringing together diverse articles and references by, and from works by, such individuals as Alan Moore, William S. Baring-Gould, Michael Moorcock, Kim Newman, John Pearson and Jess Nevins have allowed the original idea to flourish beyond all expectations. With the blessing and approval of P.J. Farmer, the primary Wold Newton website [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Pulp2.htm] features details on various fictional biographies (including those of Biggles and John Steed); details on Farmer's own contributions to the WNU and a comprehensive chronology of the WNU from "Prehistory" to the future. [ [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Pulp2.htm#Bios Fictional Biographies] . Accessed January 18, 2008] [ [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Pulp2.htm#PJF A Listing of Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton works] . Accessed January 18, 2008] [ [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Pulp2.htm#Nav Navigating the WNU Website, including a Full Chronology] . Accessed January 18, 2008]

The "LXG" lawsuit

Eckert served as an expert consultant on "crossovers involving characters from pulp fiction and Victorian literature" [ [http://www.winscotteckert.com/Biography.htm WSE Biography] . Accessed January 18, 2008] for the unfortunate lawsuit brought against Twentieth Century Fox over their similarities between their flawed adaptation of Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's Wold Newtonian comics masterpiece "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", and an earlier screenplay entitled "Cast of Characters". [ [http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,626916,00.html Silverman, Stephen M. "Connery Flick Sparks $100 Mil Lawsuit", People Magazine, Thurs. September 25, 2003] . Accessed January 18, 2008] (Famously, this lawsuit proved to be another nail in the coffin of Alan Moore's disillusionment with the film industry - not least since many of the similarities between the two screenplays were not present in Moore's original work, and yet part of the allegation was directed squarely at him.) [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?article=2153 Johnston, Rich "Lying in the Gutters: "MOORE SLAMS V FOR VENDETTA MOVIE, PULLS LoEG FROM DC COMICS" Vol. 2 #1, Monday May 23, 2005] . Accessed January 18, 2008]

Books

, Mark K. Brown and Brad Mengel. [ [http://hometown.aol.com/kickaha23/ "The Wold Newton Chronicles" Online articles by Brown, Mengel, Eckert and others] . Accessed January 18, 2008] ) "Myths for the Modern Age" was a [http://www.locusmag.com/2007/04_LocusFinalists.html 2007 Locus Award finalist] for best non-fiction work.

He has written pulp tales for a yearly anthology of Wold-Newtonish stories edited by Jean Marc and Randy Lofficier, "Tales of the Shadowmen" volumes 1-5 (Black Coat Press, 2005-2009), mostly centered on the adventures of Doc Ardan, a French version of Doc Savage. He has also written stories for "Lance Star - Sky Ranger" (Wild Cat Books, 2006) and the up-coming "The Avenger Chronicles" (Moonstone Books, 2008) and "Captain Midnight: Declassified" (Moonstone Books, forthcoming). He is a regular contributor of Wold Newton essays and stories to the pro-zine dedicated to and authorized by Farmer, "" [http://www.pjfarmer.com/farmerphile.htm] (published by Michael Croteau, webmaster of the [http://www.pjfarmer.com/ Official Philip José Farmer Home Page] ).

In 2006, he wrote the forward to Bison Books' new edition of Philip José Farmer's original Wold Newtonian work " (Bison Books, 2006).

Eckert's [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Chron.htm "Crossover Chronology" of the WNU] , detailing in large part the full history of the Wold Newton Universe, largely (although not entirely) through the use of literary/film/TV crossovers between members of the core Wold Newton family and other fictional individuals is due to be published in book form, greatly expanded, by MonkeyBrain Books in 2010 as "Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World".

Bibliography

Non-Fiction Books
* "Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer’s Wold Newton Universe", editor and author, MonkeyBrain Books, November 2005.
** "Introduction: Myths for the Modern Age: Farmer’s Wold Newton Family and Shared Universe" in "Myths for the Modern Age" (2005)
** "Who's Going to Take Over the World When I'm Gone?: A Look at the Genealogies of Wold Newton Family Super-Villains and Their Nemeses" in "Myths for the Modern Age" (2005)
* "Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World", MonkeyBrain Books, 2010 (forthcoming).

Short Fiction
* "The Vanishing Devil" in "Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 1: The Modern Babylon" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (ed.s) (Black Coat Press, March 2005)
* "The Eye of Oran" in "Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 2: Gentlemen of the Night" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (ed.s) (Black Coat Press, January 2006)
** "L'oeil d'Oran" en "Les Compagnons de l'Ombre (Tome 1)" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (ed.s) (Riviere Blanche, November 2007)
* "Shadows Over Kunlun" in "Lance Star - Sky Ranger" by Ron Fortier (ed.) (Wild Cat Books, August 2006)
**rev. ed. by Ron Fortier (ed.) (Cornerstone Book Publishers, 2008)
* "Les Levres Rouges" in "Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 3: Danse Macabre" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (ed.s) (Black Coat Press, January 2007)
**"Les Levres Rouges" en "Les Compagnons de l'Ombre (Tome 3)" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (eds.) (Riviere Blanche, forthcoming)
* "The Shades of Pemberley, Parts I & II" in "" no.s 8-9 by Christopher Paul Carey and Paul Spiteri, eds., (April, July 2007)
* "L'Affaire Atomos" en "La saga de Mme. Atomos (Tome 3)" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (ed.s) (Riviere Blanche, July 2007)
** "The Atomos Affair" in "Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 4: Lords of Terror" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (ed.s) (Black Coat Press, January 2008)
* "Death and the Countess" in "The Avenger Chronicles" by Joe Gentile (ed.) (forthcoming, Moonstone Books, 2008)
* "Iron and Bronze" in "Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 5: The Vampires of Paris" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier (ed.s) (with Christopher Paul Carey) (Black Coat Press, January 2009)
* "Captain Midnight at Ultima Thule" in "Captain Midnight: Declassified" by Christopher Mills (ed.) (Moonstone Books, forthcoming)

Essays & Articles
* "A Reply to 'The Wold Newton Theory Alternative Universe'" in "ThrillerUK" No. 19, July 2004.
* Creative Mythography: "A Nova of Genetic Splendor." in "" No. 1, Christopher Paul Carey and Paul Spiteri, eds., July 2005.
* "The Black Forest and the Wold Newton Universe." in "The Black Forest 2: Castle of Shadows", Image Comics, September 2005.
* Creative Mythography: "Six Degrees of Philip José Farmer." in "" No. 2, Christopher Paul Carey and Paul Spiteri, eds., October 2005.
* Creative Mythography: "How He Avoided Publicity, Part II." in "" No. 3, Christopher Paul Carey and Paul Spiteri, eds., January 2006.
* "Foreword" to "" by Philip José Farmer (Bison Frontiers of Imagination, April 2006)
* Creative Mythography: "Ouroboros, Part I." in "" No. 4, Christopher Paul Carey and Paul Spiteri, eds., April 2006.
* Creative Mythography: "Ouroboros, Part II." in "" No. 5, Christopher Paul Carey and Paul Spiteri, eds., July 2006.
* Creative Mythography: "Doc Wildman: Out of Time." in "" No. 6, Christopher Paul Carey and Paul Spiteri, eds., October 2006.
* "How I Discovered Doc Savage." in "How I Discovered Doc Savage", Jay Ryan and Courtney Rogers, editors (Solace of Fortitude Publications, 2006).
* "Introduction" to "The Rebels Unthawed" in "Up from the Bottomless Pit and Other Stories" by Philip José Farmer (Subterranean Press, 2007) ISBN 1-596-06128-6
* Creative Mythography: "This Peoria Earth." in "" No. 10, Paul Spiteri and Win Scott Eckert, eds., October 2007.
* Creative Mythography: "Trunks and Branches: The Wold Newton Family." in "" No. 11, Paul Spiteri and Win Scott Eckert, eds., January 2008.
* Creative Mythography: "The Farmerian Holmes." in "" No. 12, Paul Spiteri and Win Scott Eckert, eds., April 2008.
* Creative Mythography: "Sahhindar through the Centuries." in "" No. 13, Paul Spiteri and Win Scott Eckert, eds., July 2008 (with Dennis E. Power).

Podcasts & Panels
* " [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Articles10.htm#Parascholarship Literary Archaeology and Parascholarship] ." Comics Arts Conference, San Diego Comic-Con International, July 22, 2004 (with Dr. Peter M. Coogan and Chuck Loridans). [http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F55026CFC49600F0 YouTube video] .
* " [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Articles11.htm#Myths Myths for the Modern Age.] " Comics Arts Conference, San Diego Comic-Con International, July 20, 2006 (with Dr. Peter M. Coogan, Chuck Loridans, Brad Mengel, and John Small). [http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F55026CFC49600F0 YouTube video] .
* "Tales of the Shadowmen." Archon 31/TuckerCon/9th NASFiC Science Fiction/Fantasy Convention, August 4, 2007 (with Matthew Baugh and Rick Lai).
* "Myths for the Modern Age." Archon 31/TuckerCon/9th NASFiC Science Fiction/Fantasy Convention, August 4, 2007 (with Matthew Baugh, Dr. Peter M. Coogan, Rick Lai, and Chuck Loridans).
* Blog Talk Radio - Geekerati - " [http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Geekerati/blog/2007/09/04/barsoom-hyboria-and-urban-mean-streets-the-pulps-and-their-modern-legacy Barsoom, Hyboria, and Urban Mean Streets: The Pulps and Their Modern Legacy] ," September 3, 2007.
* Blog Talk Radio - Geekerati - " [http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Geekerati/blog/2008/02/12/Black-Coats-and-Justice-Inc-Black-Coat-Press-and-Moonstone-Books-Keep-the-Pulp-Tradition-Alive Black Coats and Justice Inc.: Black Coat Press and Moonstone Books Keep the Pulp Tradition Alive] ," February 11, 2008.
* "Doc Savage and The Shadow in Crossover Fiction." Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention, April 25, 2008 (with Rick Lai).

References

External links

* [http://www.winscotteckert.com/ Win Scott Eckert's homepage]
* [http://woldnewton-win.livejournal.com/ Win Scott Eckert's LiveJournal blog]
* [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Pulp.htm An Expansion of Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe]
* [http://www.pjfarmer.com/woldnewton/Startrek.htm The Star Trek Annotated Timeline]
* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/ACP6KR7IZ8USL Win Scott Eckert's Amazon Blog]
* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/ACP6KR7IZ8USL Amazon Profile for Win Scott Eckert]
* [http://themagicriver.blogspot.com/ The Magic River (Communal blog)]
* [http://www.myspace.com/woldnewton Win Scott Eckert on MySpace]
* [http://www.facebook.com/people/Win_Scott_Eckert/649308473 Win Scott Eckert on Facebook]
* [http://www.starlog.com/fearful_feature.php?id=1597 A Starlog Magazine article on PJF and Win Scott Eckert]
* [http://www.monkeybrainbooks.com/Myths_for_the_Modern_Age.html Authorized book:] - Myths for the Modern Age: Philip José Farmer's Wold Newton Universe (ISBN 1-932265-14-7)
* [http://www.pjfarmer.com/farmerphile.htm "Farmerphile: The Magazine of Philip José Farmer"]
* [http://www.pjfarmer.com/secret/content/Contents.htm The Secret History of the Wold Newton Universe]
* [http://www.pjfarmer.com/chronicles/index.htm The Wold Newton Chronicles]