Hello its me again, just had a funny/introspective idea I wanted to share on the topic of Stan as a published author.
'The Adventures of Lil Stanley: An Autobiography' are very successful and Stan's won a few awards for it before, but no one believes him when he says that everything in there is real. (Being fair, sometimes he leaves out some stuff that's too 'adult', or exaggerates things for drama, but for the most part it's very accurate to real events). Even when Ford publishes his research and Cryptozoology becomes a more recognized, if not respected, field of study worldwide (there are still a lot of people who refuse to believe it or just straight up view it as 'fake science' (don't even get me started on the arguments for 'soft sciences vs hard science')) people Still don't believe Stan. His twin brother has Mothman onstage giving a presentation on Why We Should Build a Giant Light Bulb For Reasons, but a giant omniscient godlike Axolotl living outside the boundaries of time and space? Sounds fake to me!
Stan thinks it's hilarious. It drives him crazy sometimes but it's also hilarious. (Ford does not think it's funny, just annoying. Coincidentally Stan makes sure to laugh about it mostly around Ford). But after the Summer of 2012 when his own grand-niblings don't believe him, Stan decides to write an Actual Real to Real People Autobiography.
'The Tale of Big Stanley: A Totally Real and Truthful Retelling' is basically the entire comic series but without the supernatural stuff. It kind of takes Stan forever to write because he's literally scrubbing his entire life and having to figure out what counts as a 'normal enough life for people'. Keeps having to go back and rewrite passages and entire chapters that sound off or too fantastical because "I've been wandering around the multiverse and fighting cryptids since I was 10, nothing about my life is relatable to the average joe" Instead of a kid going on crazy adventures and learning valuable life lessons as he goes, it's a kid who was always looked over and brushed off. A kid that really only ever had his twin brother to look out for him. A kid that got sold away by father for one bad test and a lifetime of just trying to prove his worth and help out. It's all the pain and suffering and misery of his childhood without all the magic and joyful chaos that The Axolotl brought into it. It's all the parental neglect and abuse without bright colours and quippy one liners. It's a kid having all his safety and innocence ripped away all at once without any way to get it back. A kid that had to learn to solve their own problems and come up with all the answers to life's hard questions on his own. A kid that in spite of everything, or maybe even BECAUSE of everything, not only succeeds but flourishes. A kid that grows up to be happy and safe and healthy, always with his brother by his side. A kid that gets the last laugh knowing that his Pa got scammed because "Stan's worth WAY more than 3 measly bucks".
By the time he's finished Stan kind of hates it because he thinks it's too depressing and surreal but everyone encourages him to publish it still, so he does. And it's an immediate hit. The novel is compelling and heart wrenching and insightful and heart warming all at once. People are debating the themes and messages. They're psychoanalyzing everyone in it. A few schools are already adding it to the curriculum to study for classes. Stan wins 2 Pulitzers for it.
This kinda got away from me and it was sadder than I intended but I just thought it'd be funny if Stan writes an autobiographical comic for years that everyone thinks is fiction, only to write a (mostly) fiction autobiography and everyone immediately loves it Lol.
And yesssss the whole idea of the story is Stan realizing his worth and being put in a less… Magical setting, the whole concept is plain devastating. I think it’s funny in this scenario that it’s the reverse fictional autobiographical thing going on. (Lottie is definitely super proud of Stan by the way, and meanwhile Fords also proud but also kinda fuming of course)
I love the place your heads at man, I wish I could say something cool to add onto it but like… You’re already there.
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