I came into Xena fandom in a very different place then where I ended up. I missed all the Herc TV movies and the first season of the show. I heard that Bruce Campbell (yet another addiction) was going to be on the second season premiere of Hercules. So I tuned in to watch "The King of Thieves" and enjoyed the show, overall, very much. Herc was not your typical guy who had no personality, hired for his body. The writing was witty. Herc was a goodie good, but also a bit of a smart ass. He was also not "science experiment gone wrong" muscle-bound. He was just somewhat nummy. I decided I definately needed to give this show some more consideration. Of course, this same night, Xena was to premiere as a series. Now, I knew nothing of her bad girl history, but having been all jazzed up by Herc, and not quite ready for my new find euphoria to end, I was more than willing to watch this second serving of Ancient Greek goodness. I liked what I saw in "Sins of the Past" as well. A fan was born.

As I began my Herc/Xena fan journey, it was all about Iolaus for me. He was not the usual type that caught my eye. Blonde for one. Shortish for another. But I couldn't seem to help myself. For the most part also, I was all for the conventional Xena/Herc and Gabrielle/Iolaus ships that Renaissance seemed to be setting up. And when Joxer was born to the Xenaverse, my reaction was for the most part typical. I thought he was irritating and just didn't blend. By the next episode he was in though, I was like "Oh hey, it's the funny guy again." and I was mostly happy, if not excited, to have him tagalong with Xena and Gabrielle. The turning point for me came in the episode "A Comedy of Eros", the one where Cupid and Psyche's child, Bliss, winds up making miss-matched havoc by stealing his father's bow and love arrows and going on a shooting spree. Xena loves Draco, Draco loves Gabrielle, and Gabrielle loves Joxer. Everything's all funny and good, until the end of the episode, when all of those affected by the arrows are cured and returned to their natural state. At the campfire, Gabrielle makes a comment to Joxer. Laughing, she says, "Can you imagine the two of us in love? ...kind of makes you laugh just to think about it.” She then walks off. Xena touches Joxer's shoulder and he turns to reveal that he's crying. He's really in love with her and now, not only is she not, but she thinks the idea is a joke. My heart broke.

It took little more than that for me to plunge into the, apparently much loathed (fandom-wise), seas of not only Joxer fandom, but Joxer/Gabrielle shipperdom. Oh well. It wasn't my first unpopular selection of fandom and wouldn't be my last. It was simply what called to me. The idea of wannabe hero who actually was brave and loyal in his heart, but had too little self-esteem to see himself in that way, trying to be better, to be worthy of Gabrielle. There was just something intrinsically sweet about him.

Hercules I watched for most of its run. Up until they killed off Iolaus and replaced him with Iolaus 2. That was the weirdest thing ever. It was still Michael Hurst, and yea for Michael Hurst. But they killed off Iolaus and even replacing him with himself didn't make up for it. It was a crap idea. And I know they eventually brought the real Iolaus back (which I will one day get to see. Hail syndication), but by then, I was already gone.

Though I am a Gabrielle/Joxer shipper, I'll read other stuff too. Mainly, anything that doesn't make an idiot or a villan of Jox, Gab or Xena just because the author doesn't like one of them. And no, that doesn't automatically mean Joxer. There are still a lot of Gab-bashers out there too. The stories I like most are anything that treats the bond of Gabrielle, Joxer, and Xena as something unique, stories where you get the strong feeling that they've always been together, and always will be. Stories that can make you forget how the show plummeted into the depths of crapitude after the stupid 25 year leap. But that's a whole 'nother essay.

FANFIC

Ascent
Rating: PG
Written:2000
Summary:Eve's purpose on Earth has been completed. In her final act can she right her greatest wrong?

Boy Make Girl Feel Good
Rating: NC-17
Written: 2000
Summary: Just how did Joxer resolve his Attis issues in "Fins, Femmes and Gems"?

Forget Him
Rating:PG
Written:2001
Summary: Written for the Lyrics Challenge. After giving TLC to a very pregnant Xena, Joxer goes to look for Gabrielle and is disturbed by what he finds.

Girl From Poteidaia Goes to Egypt
Rating: PG-13
Written:10/14/2000
Summary: Filk with a G/J tilt set to the tune of "Girl From Ipanema Goes to Greenland".

If I Fall
Rating: PG-13
Written: 2001
Summary: After the events of Soul Possession, Xena brings an injured Mattie to Joxer's apartment and misconceptions are cleared up. Written for Lyrics Challenge.

Joxer Just Got Ravished by a Blonde Girl
Rating: PG-13
Written: 12/09/2000
Summary: Solstice filk set to the tune of "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer".

This Xena Must Die
Rating: PG-13
Written: 11/04/2000
Summary: Filk set to the tune of "This Jesus Must Die" from Jesus Christ Superstar. A little harmless venting about the new direction that Season Six took.

WALLPAPER

Kevin Smith Memorial 800 x 600	In My Thoughts 800 x 600
Behind My Every Smile... 800 x 600	Gabrielle and Joxer 800 x 600
Family 800 x 600	Joxer 800 x 600
Friends in Good Times 800 x 600	Part of Me, Part of You 800 x 600
Song in Your Heart 800 x 600	Dreaming of You 800 x 600

The GJErotica Archives

The Joxerites Fanfiction Guild

Joxerotica

Whoosh

RECOMMENDED READING

Due to a recent harddrive crash that lost me a lot of bookmarks, this will be coming soon.

MEMBERSHIPS