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crack_van2006-12-01 02:49 am
mxtape.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2006-12-01 02:49 am
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Newsies Overview
You remember Newsies, don't you? That movie you watched at sleepovers when you were a kid, the one with all the pretty dancing boys? Well, now that we're all grown up, it's our duty to look back on all that with fondness... and write slash about it. Lo, I give you the Newsies fandom!
Plot
Newsies is a Disney live-action musical from 1992. It's what you might call semi-hemi-historically-inspired, following the story of the New York Newsboys Strike of July 1899.
In the movie, Joseph Pulitzer, who owns the New York World, hikes up the the price the newsies pay for their papers. The newsies, who already struggle to get by, are furious, and so, led by Jack Kelly and David Jacobs, they plan a strike.
Despite a rough start, things go well for the newsies until a photograph in the newspaper leads to Jack's arrest and imprisonment. David is disillusioned when he discovers that Jack has been lying about his past. In the meantime, Pulitzer approaches Jack with an offer to turn scab, threatening that if he doesn't cooperate, David will be arrested as well. Jack, in an effort to save his friend, complies with Pulitzer, leading the newsies to believe he has betrayed them. When David is threatened again, however, Jack comes to the rescue and rejoins the strike. Together, they win out over Pulitzer.
Basically, the whole movie is an excuse for strapping young lads to yell and jump aboutand touch each other inappropriately. It's good fun.
Characters
The Newsies
Back row, L-R: Jack, Crutchy, Mush, Pie Eater, Bumlets, Racetrack, Kid Blink, Skittery, Jake
Front row, L-R: Dutchy, Snipeshooter, Boots, Snoddy, Snitch, Swifty
Not pictured: Itey, Specs
Jack Kelly (Cowboy)
Leader of the Manhattan newsies. His parents are gone, and he tells people that they are out in Santa Fe, where he dreams of escaping. Jack is cocky about his life as a newsie, but vulnerable to his longing for a family. He's street smart, with a checkered past. He meets his match in his friendship with David.
David Jacobs
David and his younger brother become newsies when their family falls on hard times. David has been in school and is book smart and uptight. He is wary of Jack at first and isn't afraid to let him know where he stands. As David works with Jack, he loosens up and gains more self-confidence.
Les Jacobs
David's younger brother. Les loves being a newsie, and immediately hero worships Jack.
Spot Conlon
Leader of the Brooklyn newsies. Spot is one feared kid - he drives a hard bargain and knows how to back it up with his slingshot. His alliance is key to the strike's success.
Crutchy
"A real crip," not one of those fakes. Very independent, but loyal. Some people find him annoyingly shrill.
Mush
Fairly quiet and non-confrontational. Often characterized as sweet. Infamous abs.
Racetrack Higgins
One of the older newsies, and an unabashed gambler. He has a smart mouth and cracks a lot of jokes.
Kid Blink
Wears an eye patch. Tends to burst with energy and take everything to heart.
Skittery
Always seems to be brooding sexily in the background. Often characterized as pissed off.
Boots
One of the younger newsies, but very mature. Has a quirky sense of humor.
The Jacobs Family
Sarah
The older sister, who works making lace. She and Jack have something of a flirtation going on, and she contributes to the strike near the end. Her character really gets short shrift in the movie, as well as in fic.
Mayer & Esther
The parents. Mayer worked at a factory until he broke his arm and got fired. He is good-humored and encouraging. Esther is caring and mother-hennish, but with a playful sense of humor.
The Enemies
Pulitzer, Jonathan, Seitz
Pulitzer owns the New York World, and Jonathan and Seitz are his right-hand men. Jonathan is very twitchy and mincing. Seitz is reasonably sympathetic to the newsies.
Weasel, Oscar & Morris Delancey
These guys run the Circulation Office where the newsies buy their papes. Weasel is a fairly mean-spirited, pathetic figure. The Delancey brothers are nasty thugs.
Warden Snyder
The embezzling warden of the House of Refuge, where arrested orphans are sent.
The Allies
Bryan Denton
A writer for the New York Sun whose articles champion the newsies' cause.
Medda Larkson
A Vaudeville performer who owns Irving Hall theater. Old friend of Jack's father.
Kloppman
Runs the Newsboys Lodging House.
Fandom
The vast majority of readable Newsies fic is slash. This is because, barring Sarah, there are no teenage girl characters to pair with the boys. This means that het is, almost without exception, Mary Sue fic. While there may be some very well-written het fics out there, the genre is pretty terrifying to wade into.
As one might expect from the fandom of a musical with a cast like this, however, there are many wonderful slash fics. Currently, the most popular pairing is Jack/David, known as Javid. Their relationship as work partners lends itself easily to more a more intimate friendship, and in fact the slash practically seems canon. These two are all touchy-feely and longing looks.
Also very popular is Spot/Racetrack, or Sprace. This seems like an odd pairing at first glance, but personality-wise it can be a great mesh of cockiness and snark. It tends to lend itself to angst, but there is definite potential for intriguing character development with these two.
Kid Blink/Mush, or Blush, is also common. While neither character is given its due in canon, they are distinct and charming. Moreover, they almost always appear together, and constantly whisper and touch each other in the background.
There are plenty of other pairings, and loads of rare pairings due to the sheer number of newsies. Some more fairly common ones you may come across: Specs/Dutchy (Sputchy), Snitch/Skittery (Snittery), and Dutchy/Bumlets (Dutchlets). The fandom definitely likes its smush names.
One oddity of Newsies fandom that ought to be touched on is the huge amount of modern AUs. The movie is set in 1899, but perhaps half the slash fic I've seen is set contemporarily. This may be because of the problem of writing homosexuality in that time period, though there are certainly other reasons to write AUs. Most of the characters are archetypal enough (or sketchy enough!) that they translate just fine, so don't shy away from modern fics in this fandom. Some of the best fics are AUs, in fact.
As a side note, Blood Drips Heavily on Newsies Square is infamous around the fandom. A few of the minor characters in the movie filmed a spoof on the set, and it's available on VHS and there's a fansite.
Resources
Fic Archives & Rec Sites
The Refuge
This is the archive for Newsies slash, period. It has a nice collection of well-written fics, as well as a community forum.
FanFiction.net
It may be the pit of voles, but it is and has always been the center of the larger Newsies fandom.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
queenitsy's Recs
Probably the most comprehensive recs list I've seen in the fandom. There are a bunch of classics recced here, as well as great WIPs and AUs, so do check it out.
Ship Manifestos
Jack/David: Proud and Defiant bypoisonivory
Spot/Race: Gambling, Canes, and Head Nods bysecond_batgirl
Blink/Mush: Matching Outfits for Him and Him byqueenitsy
Fansites
NewsiesFreak.com
Has a lot of great resources, such as set photos, scripts, and cut scene info.
NewsiesJunkie.com
Has some rare interviews and media, including an early '90s anti-drug commercial featuring the Newsies cast.
No. 9 Duane Street
This site, dedicated to the Newsboys' Lodging House, is a great resource for fans and history geeks alike.
DieOnTheVine Screencaps
Lots of high-res caps.
Newsies Mailing List
A Yahoo! group that's very central to the larger fandom. It's a good place to meet other fans, keep abreast of what's happening, and find people with whom to RP. Particularly good for younger fans and for people who are interested in het. Warning: posts are prone to things like bright pink Comic Sans 18pt text and typing in terrible fake New York accents.
LJ Resources
Newsies communities aren't hugely active, in general. The fandom is small, so fic usually goes on The Refuge or personal journals. Still, here are the main communities on LJ:
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
newsboys_daily - Picspam
newsies_plugs - Fic plugs
newsie_icons - Icons & banners
And that's that! Many thanks toharmonyangel, hobbitgwen, and queenitsy for their help in compiling the overview.
Plot
Newsies is a Disney live-action musical from 1992. It's what you might call semi-hemi-historically-inspired, following the story of the New York Newsboys Strike of July 1899.
In the movie, Joseph Pulitzer, who owns the New York World, hikes up the the price the newsies pay for their papers. The newsies, who already struggle to get by, are furious, and so, led by Jack Kelly and David Jacobs, they plan a strike.
Despite a rough start, things go well for the newsies until a photograph in the newspaper leads to Jack's arrest and imprisonment. David is disillusioned when he discovers that Jack has been lying about his past. In the meantime, Pulitzer approaches Jack with an offer to turn scab, threatening that if he doesn't cooperate, David will be arrested as well. Jack, in an effort to save his friend, complies with Pulitzer, leading the newsies to believe he has betrayed them. When David is threatened again, however, Jack comes to the rescue and rejoins the strike. Together, they win out over Pulitzer.
Basically, the whole movie is an excuse for strapping young lads to yell and jump about
Characters
The Newsies
Back row, L-R: Jack, Crutchy, Mush, Pie Eater, Bumlets, Racetrack, Kid Blink, Skittery, Jake
Front row, L-R: Dutchy, Snipeshooter, Boots, Snoddy, Snitch, Swifty
Not pictured: Itey, Specs
Jack Kelly (Cowboy)
Leader of the Manhattan newsies. His parents are gone, and he tells people that they are out in Santa Fe, where he dreams of escaping. Jack is cocky about his life as a newsie, but vulnerable to his longing for a family. He's street smart, with a checkered past. He meets his match in his friendship with David.
David Jacobs
David and his younger brother become newsies when their family falls on hard times. David has been in school and is book smart and uptight. He is wary of Jack at first and isn't afraid to let him know where he stands. As David works with Jack, he loosens up and gains more self-confidence.
Les Jacobs
David's younger brother. Les loves being a newsie, and immediately hero worships Jack.
Spot Conlon
Leader of the Brooklyn newsies. Spot is one feared kid - he drives a hard bargain and knows how to back it up with his slingshot. His alliance is key to the strike's success.
Crutchy
"A real crip," not one of those fakes. Very independent, but loyal. Some people find him annoyingly shrill.
Mush
Fairly quiet and non-confrontational. Often characterized as sweet. Infamous abs.
Racetrack Higgins
One of the older newsies, and an unabashed gambler. He has a smart mouth and cracks a lot of jokes.
Kid Blink
Wears an eye patch. Tends to burst with energy and take everything to heart.
Skittery
Always seems to be brooding sexily in the background. Often characterized as pissed off.
Boots
One of the younger newsies, but very mature. Has a quirky sense of humor.
The Jacobs Family
Sarah
The older sister, who works making lace. She and Jack have something of a flirtation going on, and she contributes to the strike near the end. Her character really gets short shrift in the movie, as well as in fic.
Mayer & Esther
The parents. Mayer worked at a factory until he broke his arm and got fired. He is good-humored and encouraging. Esther is caring and mother-hennish, but with a playful sense of humor.
The Enemies
Pulitzer, Jonathan, Seitz
Pulitzer owns the New York World, and Jonathan and Seitz are his right-hand men. Jonathan is very twitchy and mincing. Seitz is reasonably sympathetic to the newsies.
Weasel, Oscar & Morris Delancey
These guys run the Circulation Office where the newsies buy their papes. Weasel is a fairly mean-spirited, pathetic figure. The Delancey brothers are nasty thugs.
Warden Snyder
The embezzling warden of the House of Refuge, where arrested orphans are sent.
The Allies
Bryan Denton
A writer for the New York Sun whose articles champion the newsies' cause.
Medda Larkson
A Vaudeville performer who owns Irving Hall theater. Old friend of Jack's father.
Kloppman
Runs the Newsboys Lodging House.
Fandom
The vast majority of readable Newsies fic is slash. This is because, barring Sarah, there are no teenage girl characters to pair with the boys. This means that het is, almost without exception, Mary Sue fic. While there may be some very well-written het fics out there, the genre is pretty terrifying to wade into.
As one might expect from the fandom of a musical with a cast like this, however, there are many wonderful slash fics. Currently, the most popular pairing is Jack/David, known as Javid. Their relationship as work partners lends itself easily to more a more intimate friendship, and in fact the slash practically seems canon. These two are all touchy-feely and longing looks.
Also very popular is Spot/Racetrack, or Sprace. This seems like an odd pairing at first glance, but personality-wise it can be a great mesh of cockiness and snark. It tends to lend itself to angst, but there is definite potential for intriguing character development with these two.
Kid Blink/Mush, or Blush, is also common. While neither character is given its due in canon, they are distinct and charming. Moreover, they almost always appear together, and constantly whisper and touch each other in the background.
There are plenty of other pairings, and loads of rare pairings due to the sheer number of newsies. Some more fairly common ones you may come across: Specs/Dutchy (Sputchy), Snitch/Skittery (Snittery), and Dutchy/Bumlets (Dutchlets). The fandom definitely likes its smush names.
One oddity of Newsies fandom that ought to be touched on is the huge amount of modern AUs. The movie is set in 1899, but perhaps half the slash fic I've seen is set contemporarily. This may be because of the problem of writing homosexuality in that time period, though there are certainly other reasons to write AUs. Most of the characters are archetypal enough (or sketchy enough!) that they translate just fine, so don't shy away from modern fics in this fandom. Some of the best fics are AUs, in fact.
As a side note, Blood Drips Heavily on Newsies Square is infamous around the fandom. A few of the minor characters in the movie filmed a spoof on the set, and it's available on VHS and there's a fansite.
Resources
Fic Archives & Rec Sites
The Refuge
This is the archive for Newsies slash, period. It has a nice collection of well-written fics, as well as a community forum.
FanFiction.net
It may be the pit of voles, but it is and has always been the center of the larger Newsies fandom.
queenitsy's RecsProbably the most comprehensive recs list I've seen in the fandom. There are a bunch of classics recced here, as well as great WIPs and AUs, so do check it out.
Ship Manifestos
Jack/David: Proud and Defiant by
poisonivorySpot/Race: Gambling, Canes, and Head Nods by
second_batgirlBlink/Mush: Matching Outfits for Him and Him by
queenitsyFansites
NewsiesFreak.com
Has a lot of great resources, such as set photos, scripts, and cut scene info.
NewsiesJunkie.com
Has some rare interviews and media, including an early '90s anti-drug commercial featuring the Newsies cast.
No. 9 Duane Street
This site, dedicated to the Newsboys' Lodging House, is a great resource for fans and history geeks alike.
DieOnTheVine Screencaps
Lots of high-res caps.
Newsies Mailing List
A Yahoo! group that's very central to the larger fandom. It's a good place to meet other fans, keep abreast of what's happening, and find people with whom to RP. Particularly good for younger fans and for people who are interested in het. Warning: posts are prone to things like bright pink Comic Sans 18pt text and typing in terrible fake New York accents.
LJ Resources
Newsies communities aren't hugely active, in general. The fandom is small, so fic usually goes on The Refuge or personal journals. Still, here are the main communities on LJ:
newsboys_daily - Picspamnewsies_plugs - Fic plugsnewsie_icons - Icons & bannersAnd that's that! Many thanks to
harmonyangel, hobbitgwen, and queenitsy for their help in compiling the overview.
no subject
And balcony scene! I think you'll like my recs, as I'm a Jack/David shipper.
no subject