Herocopia:FAQ
From Herocopia
Can Anyone Post?
Sure, jump on in, the water's fine! See the Help:Contents page to get started. However, expect to be edited. To best preserve your deathless prose: check your facts, spelling, and grammar, and use good word choices.
Any Tips for Beginners?
Start small. Begin by editing an existing page (add a speculation or an appearance link).
Then, try to flesh out an existing "stub" character page (without any content) by pasting in the character template and editing it.
Then, create a new page by pasting and modifying the URL into your browser address field, pasting in the character template, and editing it.
If you get stuck on formatting, look at pages others have created, click edit on one you like to see its formatting, copy what you need (and cancel that edit), and then paste the formatting into the page you are editing and modify it as needed.
In-world or Reader Point of View?
Reader POV, in order to make this database as complete as possible (unlike the Visitor's Guide, which has in-world POV).
With Reader POV, what about Spoilers?
Except for the 30 day warnings for recently published material, this wiki-database doesn't use spoiler warnings. However, with some care -- by using indirection, for example, stating that a character was killed by the "Kiefer Square killer" instead of explicitly stating who that is, or by putting information in as a possible rumor under a speculation section -- this wiki-database can be as complete as possible without too many reader spoilers or completely losing its in-world flavor. Essentially, make every attempt to avoid blatant spoilage, let good judgment prevail.
Primary Location for Herocopia Discussion?
The discussion section for the Main Page: Talk: Main Page.
How do I see if there's Discussion for an Entry?
The link for that discussion page should appear differently (just as links to pages, even stubs, appear differently from links to non-existent pages). (If a discussion link is a stub, this means that the earlier discussion was resolved, moved into this FAQ, and the discussion removed.)
What Brand of English?
US standard English (e.g. Honor Guard, not Honour Guard), as that's where Astro City is located, unless explicitly referencing a non-US character from a non-US point of view.
What is the Issue Naming Scheme for Links?
See the article list on the Category:Publications page. These are based on issues, not collections. If you are working from a collection, look up a given chapter in that collection's sub-category (which lists the issues in the order they appear in that collection), to find its issue.
What is a Minor Edit?
Grammar or word choice corrections, adding links, removing whitespace, etc. Don't check the "minor edit" check box when fleshing out a stub or adding substantial new content. Checking it helps others skim through recent changes, concentrating on new content. (Note: you can have the minor edit box checked by default for you by setting this in your Preferences/Editing section.)
Difference between Speculerts and Speculations?
Don't use the first; it is reserved for the Astro City creative team to add bonus material (see Roustabout). Put your own speculations in the Speculations, Observations, and Theories section.
Updating the Main Page after Making New Entries?
Feel free! Especially the Latest Entries section (remove some older entries if this section gets too long). Between issues, update the Featured Articles section, especially after completing a major new entry, but respect the fact that this section is also used for updated entries relating to the current Astro City issue.
How to put a Blank Space in a Page Title (URL)?
Use an "_" (underscore), instead of a space (e.g. Quarrel I). (In links and text, use a blank space normally.)
Using "The" on Character Titles?
If you can do without "The" in the page title (URL), do so. However, it seems necessary for The Living Nightmare, The Untouchable and The Real Thing, etc. When using "The", control the alphabetization in the page's category link. For example, on The Jackson page, instead of:
Category:Villains
put
Category:Villains|Jackson
which will then sort under "J" instead of "T".
To Split or Not to Split?
A judgment call. If another person basically picked up where the previous one left off (e.g. Confessor or Jack-in-the-Box), and/or the general public isn't necessarily aware of the change, and/or the public is aware but the changes seem incremental and evolutionary (e.g. N-Forcer), there should generally be only one entry. If it's a different person, or a large time gap between times of activity, or the powers are substantially different, they should probably have separate entries (e.g. Quarrel I and Quarrel II, Cleopatra I and Cleopatra II, etc.)
When to Split?
Another judgment call. If the other version of a character has only been referenced, but has never appeared (even in flashbacks), then just mentioning this is probably good enough. For example, the mention of an earlier Flying Fox could have been handled in either this way or by two entries. If later there's a story or flashback, consider splitting them. The Lion and Unicorn are examples of entries which haven't been split (yet).
When splitting an entry, use roman numerals to distinguish the two entries and then use the search feature to find and edit all relevant links so that they work properly.
When to use a Redirect?
Use a redirect page (whose first line is #REDIRECT <link to desired page>) for multiple entry points to a page when it is necessary to have both entry points appear in categories. For example, using a redirect page (with the appropriate categories) for the Sweatshop (popular nickname) to Chesler (actual name and page) allows both of these names to appear in Category:Neighborhoods and Category:The City.
If multiple listings in categories aren't needed for an alternative name, just put the alternative name in a link as name1|name2 (where name2 will show up as the link, pointing to page name1).
Hero, Villain, or Both?
The three primary categories for individuals are Category:Heroes, Category:Villains, and Category:Civilians. Your individual should fit under at least one of these.
"Dark" Heroes, such as Black Velvet, are handled by also listing them as Category:Vigilantes. Villains who pursue twisted justice, such as the Lawmen, are also listed under Category:Vigilantes.
Double-listed heroes and villains, such as Wrestla and Lummox, are mostly "neutral greedy" small-fry that, on one hand, Steeljack could envision as "black masks" caught up in the Conquistador's schemes and, on the other hand, can easily hang out at Bruiser's without being called out by heroes. There are exceptions, such as The Living Nightmare.
A single misstep, even a large one (e.g. El Hombre), or a single good deed (e.g. Steeljack or, possibly, Quarrel I) shouldn't result in a heroes and villains double-listing. Similarly, Gunslinger, an assassin, isn't also listed as a vigilante (for pursuing justice for his slain father and against drug dealers), as this was a one-time crusade. Detail the exceptional behavior in a speculation or as part of an Infodump.
What about other Sub-Categories?
Some other useful listings for heroes or villains include: Category:Sidekicks, Category:Alien Races, Category:Other (useful for paranormal types), Category:Astro City Mob Figures, and Category:Non-Astro City Based Heroes and Category:Non-Astro City Based Villains.
Or, invent your own. To get some feedback first, propose one for some specific hero and villain in their discussion page before doing so. To list your sub-category on the Category:Heroes or Category:Villains page (if that's appropriate), put that category on your sub-category page.
Why are there no Villain Teams?
Since villain teams are often just nameless fodder for heroes, they are listed under Category:Villains and the sub-category Category:Villain Groups. In the case of well-defined villain teams (such as the Unholy Alliance), entries for both the team and its individual members both appear under Category:Villains.
