Extreme Big Bang

Extreme Big Bang is a multifandom (including original works), big bang challenge with a minimum word count of 100,000 words.hoktauri. Rules for the 2013 EXTREME BIG BANG!!!, September 10, 2013. (Accessed September 29, 2014)
From the 2013 rules:
==Round 1==
The first round of Extreme Big Bang ran from September 15, 2013 to August 25, 2014. The initial schedule had posting happening on July 27, but it was later delayed.hoktauri. Schedule for the 2013 EXTREME BIG BANG!!!, September 9, 2013. (Accessed October 1, 2014)
During the first round the minimums were:
* Fic: 100,000 words
* Scripts: a single script at least 120 pages long, or 3 scripts at least 45 pages each
* Meta: 25,000 words
* Poetry: 1,000 lines of text
* Podfic: 100,000 recorded words
* Art: 3 of the following (repeats allowed): fanvid (> 3minutes), fanmix (12 songs), illustrations (8 pieces), graphics (8 pieces), icons (100), music (8 songs)
Unlike traditional big bang challenges, which tend to have a primary work (usually fanfic), with a companion work (usually fanart) made as a sort of prize for meeting the minimums, Extreme Big Bang's first round instead focused on primary works, with the option for participants to find a collaborator to work with to make a companion piece. There were reduced minimums for companion pieces.
There were 150 signups for this round, with 100 writing, 22 podficcing and 28 creating art.hoktauri. 2013 Author/Podficcer Sign-up Post! - Now CLOSED, September 15, 2013. (Accessed September 30, 2014)hoktauri. 2013 Artist Sign-up Post! - Now CLOSED, September 15, 2013. (Accessed September 30, 2014) Despite the high number of starting participants, only 3 fanfics and 6 podfics were completed. In a wrap up post, hoktauri suggested that the multi-media aspect, beta requirements, high art requirements, having a separate help comm, and mandatory check-ins were the cause of the low completion rate.hoktauri. Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll August 31, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014) It was proposed that round 2 should only include fic and art, along the lines of a traditional big bang with artist claiming fanfics. This change would disallow scripts, poetry, meta, and podfic for the next round, even though podfic was the most popular medium of finished projects.
===Round 1 Masterlist===
====Fanfic====
;Protector by velocitygrass (Stargate Atlantis)
: Summary: While most come to Atlantis as a last hope to find safety in Pegasus, Rodney McKay looks for an opportunity to work on his inventions. Nobody in Pegasus has been untouched by the Wraith, but Rodney has a shield that protects him. As a citizen of Atlantis, Rodney learns some truths that challenge how he thinks about the Wraith and himself.
:Art: Protector Cover and Map by velocitygrass
;Leave the battlefield, leave her hand by ariadne83 and somehowunbroken (DC Universe)
:Summary: In Gotham everyone has secrets, even from the ones they love the most. Britta Wayne and Harvey Dent are no exceptions. Between Wayne Enterprises, Bat-duties, and raising a pair of Graysons, Britta had a lot on her plate already. But now they're trying to settle young Jason Todd into his new home in the midst of Harvey's campaign for re-election.
:What could possibly go wrong?
:Art: None
;What Binds Us by ilcocoabean (Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF, His Dark Materials)
:Summary: When Gavin is nine he finds a window that leads to the city of Pulcrum where he befriends two children and a witch. Together they teach him about their world of daemons and the worlds that lie beyond. However his visits have to come to an end when Angels come to close the window. On the night of his last visit to the other world Gavin shares a dream with a witch who teaches him to see his daemon and undergoes separation. As the years go by he gets used to the idea of being one of the few people in his world who could see his daemon but that all changes when upon returning from a visit to England he finds that daemons are visible even if their humans can't see them. As exciting as this new development is, it only makes things awkward for him, especially when he sees how his daemon interacts with Michael's. Between falling in love and finding out who can see their daemons and who can't, Gavin finds his world slowly changing but will it ever be like the one he lost?
:Art: None
====Podfic====
;Seyruun High Jinx: Summer Special by Opalsong (Slayers, Tokyo Babylon, Fushigi Yuugi)
: Summary: This is the second story in the four-part High Jinx series.
:Art: Cover by Opalsong
;Seyruun High Jinx: Next! by Opalsong (Slayers, Majo no Takkyuubin | Kiki's Delivery Service, Tokyo Babylon, Pet Shop of Horrors, Clamp Gakuen Tanteidan | Clamp School Detectives, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, FAKE)
: Summary: The 3rd story in the series about the Slayers' band, here with their rise to stardom and the big Musical - Syndicate showdown.
:Art: Cover by Opalsong
;You Are The Moon Series by RsCreighton (Les Misérables)
: Summary: It's been six months since Grantaire left the Musain and her crew -- and her captain -- behind him, but the quieter life he'd hoped to make for himself is thrown into turmoil when a convict and his daughter crash down into the middle his little outer-system settlement.
:Art: Cover by RsCreighton
;In The End We Have Each Other by RsCreighton (Les Misérables)
:Summary: Enjolras has spent pretty much the entire bus ride to the Musain trying to predict how this will go, but the thing that surprises him isn't that Combeferre isn't the first to notice, or that Joly doesn't start spouting something about infant mortality rates and immediately demand that everybody bathe in Purell. No, what startles Enjolras the most is that he manages approximately half a step through the door into the back room where they all meet before Grantaire rattles his glass down on the table in the back that he's taken for his own and drawls, "Is there something you forgot to tell us, Apollo?"
:That silences the room, predictably enough. Everyone breaks off their conversations and swivels to stare at him. At him, and at the baby carrier that he's got hooked over one arm.
:Art: Cover by RsCreighton
;Hold Your Heart Into This Darkness Series by argentumlupine (My Chemical Romance, Danger Days The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys)
:Summary: A Danger Days: True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys AU
:Art: Cover by dapatty
;Love Like Chocolate / PandaOcean by ailurish (K-Pop/Super Junior)
:Summary: He is an epicurean; a lover of food and wine and nothing else. His attitude is almost as famous as he is, and the only thing you need to know is that the kitchen is his territory and you do what he says, when he says it. Without question. Lee Hyukjae has never been the type to bend easily to anyone, and that alone makes them a bad combination from the start.
:Art: Cover by savetomorrow
===Controversy===
When hoktauri suggested disallowing works other than fic or art, there was immediate and vocal protest against the idea, specifically against dropping podfic, which, it was pointed out, produced the most works in round 1.
When polling possible participants for next round, 6 of the 22 people responding said they would sign up next round to create podfic. Of the 18 people who responded to the post (including the mods), 13 were in favor of keeping podfic, 4 didn't mention podfic, and the only person who spoke against keeping podfic was hoktauri, the mod who suggested dropping it in the first place. hoktauri repeatedly responded to pro-podfic comments stating that dropping podfic was "just a suggestion" and "not set in stone"hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014) but also would not confirm whether or not podfic would be allowed in the next round.
In one comment thread, malnpdl asked:malnpudl. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll August 31, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014) 
To which hoktauri replied:hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll August 31, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014) 
Many podfficers and podfic-supporters took exception to the implication in that statement that podfic was not enough of a fanwork to be included. (In wanks past, fans unfriendly to podfic have often stated that podfic isn't a fanwork. Making such a claim is guaranteed to upset many podficcers; see Podfic Permission.) Even though hoktauri later backpedaled on the assertion and said they would defer to podficcers' valuation of it,hoktauri. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014) it was enough, along with the suggestion to boot podfic, to make podficcers wary.
The main reason hoktauri listed for wanting to disallow podfic and other work types was the time it took from them as a mod.
When eosrose pointed out that, as the podfic mod of the challenge, she handled the podfic mod duties,eosrose. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014) hoktauri replied: 
eosrose went on to express hurt at the implication that she hadn't done her fair share of the work, and listed all the duties she'd done, including non-podfic related jobs.eosrose. Comment on Round 1 Wrap-up & Round 2 Poll September 1, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014) Even though hoktauri reassured eosrose that her work was appreciated, this, as well as hoktauri's continued insistance at disallowing podfic, likely contributed to eosrose's decision to step down as mod.eosrose. a farewell from the podfic mod September 2, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)
Some participants questioned the validity of hoktauri's claims:
While the mood in the comments section of the poll was mostly cajoling, the reaction on twitter was less so.
3 days after hoktaui posted the round-up post and poll about changes to the next round, eosrose stepped down as mod:
On the heels of eosrose's announcement, the inevitable cut of podfic occurred:
There was no reaction to the news on the comm itself, but on twitter podficcers were unsurprised.twitter thread September 6, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)
While Round 2 of Extreme Big Bang ran, the community Podfic Big Bang ran an "Epic" round as a podfic friendly replacement with a 75,000 word minimum. It produced 5 completed works for the 2015 roundEpic Podfic Big Bang 2015 Collection on AO3 September 2, 2015. (Accessed January 12, 2023) and another 5 during the next year's 2016 roundEpic Podfic Big Bang 2016 Collection on AO3 January 1, 2017. (Accessed January 12, 2023).
==Round 2==
Shortly before starting the round it was announced that wyndewalker would be joining the mod team for round 2.gwyneth_valora. Drum roll, please! September 7, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)
As per the round 1 wrap up post, many changes were implemented for round 2, including optional check-ins, lower beta requirements, lower art requirements, and only fic and art would be allowed.hoktauri. Rules & FAQs for Round 2 September 14, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)
Sign ups for round 2 of Extreme Big Bang were from September 15 to October 14, 2014,hoktauri. Schedule for Round 2 September 8, 2014. (Accessed October 1, 2014)hoktauri. Author Sign-ups Closing in Less than 24 hours! October 13, 2014. (Accessed October 15, 2014) with 33 participants signing up to write and 2 to make art for round 2.hoktauri. 2014 Author Sign-up Post September 15, 2014. (Accessed October 15, 2014)hoktauri. 2014 Artist Sign-up Post September 15, 2014. (Accessed October 15, 2014)
Artist claims went up April 20, 2015, and 4 stories were listed for claims.wyndewalker. Fics up for Artist Claims April 20, 2015. (Accessed August 7, 2015) Posting for Round 2 began July 28, 2015, with an Amnesty period of an extra week ending August 16, 2015.wyndewalker. Posting and Amnesty July 28, 2015. (Accessed August 7, 2015)
In a Round 2 wrap-up post, wyndewalker announced that the two remaining mods from round 1, hoktauri and gwyneth_valora, had departed due to "RL commitments" and that they were looking for a new co-mod. In the same post wyndewalker admits that they "fell down on the job a little bit" due to inexperience, but that they were hoping next round will be better. There were two major changes suggested:
* Allowing someone to sign up with an incomplete work from a previous round but with a higher minimum requirement.
* Reopening the Help Community as an optional, participant-only place for various challenges and community help.
There was also an accompanying feedback poll. Though it was specified that no new categories of work (ie. podfic) would be added in round 3, there was a possibility of it in round 4.wyndewalker. Round 2 Wrap-up and Poll for Round 3 August 7, 2015. (Accessed August 7, 2015)
===Round 2 Masterlist===
;Life-Changing Encounters by velocitygrass (Stargate Atlantis)
: Summary: Seven times John and Rodney met and changed their lives forever.
;Blood and Bone by perryvic and Zaganthi (DCU Comics/Smallville)
: Summary: Her fingers closed over the cuffs. "A year of Personal Service to Master Wayne. You will be of his Household, his inner circle. It is my task to prepare you for that role as the Emperor himself has taken an interest in your capabilities. You will become a Personal, Alexander. One to be proud of."
;We were soldiers by perryvic and Zaganthi (Sherlock BBC/Sherlock Holmes)
: Summary: He slept, and dozed, and drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness for a while. Every once in a while, someone gave him directions and he followed them. Every time he opened his eyes, the room seemed to be different, the bandages on his body different. He took to doing a quick inventory every time the fog cleared a little. He was mostly sure he wasn't in Germany -- he'd done that trip once, and it didn't feel like that, which was strange.
: Things had calmed down some, and he was a bit floaty from what he assumed was drugs. He knew the names of some of the medical staff but struggled to recall them. Then he did recognised someone. John. John Watson, heading over towards him.
: "Evening Colonel," John said pleasantly. "How are you feeling?" He picked up the chart.
: John was a sight for sore eyes -- and Seb was at least experienced enough to not let it go awkward. He had a whole fucking battalion to run, and no much time for a personal life. "Wasted." He blinked, hard, pushed through it. "I need to speak to Lt Col. Hall, and I need the S2. There's been a security breach..."
==References==
Category:2010s
Category:Big Bang Challenges