Yo yo! This is probably only the third time I’ve hosted ATTF. I should probably get better at that.

Anyway, my topic is world building; but specifically “real world building”. So, just as the MCU is attempting to fit Marvel characters into our world, what do you– in your stories if you write, or your headcanons/drawings if you don’t – do to make them real? How do you anchor things to the now – the real world as we experience it? Or even just what do you think?

For example: nottonyharrison on tumblr/AO3/deviantART runs the MediAvengers – basically tying to imagine what the real world media would make of the Avengers. Or there are many of alphaflyer's stories that are anchored in the real life workings of the military and international politics (or as close as she can make it without, you know, state secrets being involved. :P)

Similarly: I, as part of my avengers_remix, suddenly had 101 questions about what people thought would be the real world impacts of certain MCU events, which sparked a very interesting discussion about international politics, cooperation and public reaction over on my journal.

Also: there was a discussion on tumblr (which I will link if someone can find it for me) about how Natasha being ex-KGB, and not as old as Steve is (as she is in comics), is actually perfect for the character she’s portraying – something about chaos and the fall of communism and the USSR – completely rooting her MCU character in real-world events.

So really, this is a little wider than just Clint and Nat, but I was wondering; what do you all think? What real world events would have shaped these characters? How does the war on terror affect Steve? What about Tony and Anonymous, the ‘cyber terrorists’? If your headcanon is that Clint was in Iraq and/or Afghanistan post 9/11, how does that inform who he is?

And other things: In light of the Battle of New York and the Battle of Greenwich, what does the general public think of extra-terrestrial threats? Is NASA suddenly funded to the gills? Does this increase or decrease international cooperation? Do New Yorkers get a monument? Do Londoners get a monument? Do the Westboro Baptist Church still blame ‘the gays’? What does the Pope say? The Dalai Lama? Richard Dawkins? Do people think it’s all a hoax? And the reveal of HYDRA, what does that do? Is there less trust? More paranoia? Committee after committee to ensure it “never happens again!”? Who do people blame? Do people even care?

Are most people just asking why the hell is it always the Americans?

If you're a tumblr user and have come across interesting discussions one topics such as these, share! If you have fic dealing with these such as these, share! if you have opinions, definitely share! Just remember:

1) Always label NSFW (Not Safe For Work) stuff in the title and post under a cut.
2) Fic and artwork needs to have a rating and warnings (or you can say that you’ve chosen not to use warnings).
3) For people with annoying internet connections, say in the title if a comment is graphic/images/gif-heavy and post picspams under a cut.
4) Have a damn good time! (Because if that’s not happening then this post has clearly failed.)