canon details/info about brian's and justin's childhoods?

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Hey there. :)

I've only recently come into QAF fandom, and there is a story I want to write for which I need some info, any bits of canon-based detail about Justin's childhood, especially, but also Brian's. I know there's a lot of fanon out there, and it's running around in my brain but what I really need and what I was just wondering about is if there are/were any resource pages around, or if the Showtime webpage had ever posted that sort of stuff? Or if someone compiled a timeline or events from B's/J's childhoods based on snippets/quotes from the episodes?

Any suggestions/links/resources/quotes etc would be greatly appreciated. I'll probably end up over-researching, as is my habit, but hopefully it will lead to a good fic in the end. :)

Comments

[vlredreign.livejournal.com]

There really isn't much canon in that regard. Justin comes to us at 17, and the only thing I really recall is Jennifer saying that she used to take Justin to the art gallery when he was a kid, and later that she hadn't danced with him in a long time. That scene was in 512, IIRC.

For Brian, the only canon we're given is that his mom said that she had to keep Jack from hitting him by letting him hit her. That he met Michael at age 14, where Michael says that there was a new boy in school. So either Brian lived in a different part of town, and transferred to Michael's school, or he lived somewhere else. I'm thinking just a different part of town, since Pittsburgh is a fairly large city, and probably has different school districts and zoning, like Sacramento.

Others might fill in the gaps here.

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I remember those, and the bowling-with-Michael flashback... so hopefully I haven't overlooked anything. Do you know, was Justin falling out of a tree & breaking his arm canon, or am I mixing it up with a fic?

[vlredreign.livejournal.com]

Not that I remember. Jennifer said he was determined to ride his two wheeler, even after falling off. That's in 201 when she's talking to the doctor.

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

*notes* Thanks again! Not that I would *mind* rewatching the whole series, you know, but it would take some time and that, at the moment, is practically nonexistent... This way at least I can be organizing notes/scribbling a framework whenever I have a spare moment. :)

[court1429.livejournal.com]

Check gaedhal's most recent couple of posts; I think a timeline was mentioned in the post or the comments.

Check out queerasfolkfans. That may also be a good comm to pose these questions.

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

It looks like gaedhal's "timeline" post is more of a collection of personal/fannish history with QAF (made for interesting reading, though *g*)...

I hadn't thought of queerasfolkfans. Thanks! :)

[court1429.livejournal.com]

No, there's a timeline someone put together and I thought it was referenced in that post. Maybe ask about it on queerasfolkfans. Bear in mind, though, that devotion to continuity was never a given. *points* ;)

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Ah, I did some googling and Gael does/did have a QAF timeline on her site (which is down at the moment? and the Wayback Machine does not have an archived version). I'll bookmark for future reference...

I had heard that the continuity was less than continuous, at times. *g* Something about Mel's never-ending pregnancy, and Justin missing birthdays, and the like? ;-)

Thanks again!

[gaedhal.livejournal.com]

My timeline is for Season 1, not for backstory.

And, yes, it is down right now.

Showtime posted quite a bit of pendant material during Season 1,
much of which was integrated into fanfiction -- things such as
Justin favorite songs, Brian's e-mails to various people,
etc. Some of that info was included in later episodes --
such as Brian liking to watch Justin sleeping -- while
others were contradicted or never used. But the show contradicts
itself, especially on things like birthdays, Ben's length
of HIV+ infection, etc., all the time, which is why a timeline
for later seasons is almost impossible sustain.

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Heh, I guess I won't worry *too* much about it then (it's going to be an AU fic anyway)... I did find a google-cached copy of your timeline which I bookmarked. :)

Thank you!

[darla-isabelle.livejournal.com]

Not sure how much that will help you....

In 1.14 Justin mentions that one of his grandmothers is/was an alcoholic and shared her hangover remedy with him; then in 2.11 he mentions writing a letter to his grandmother - who may or may not be the same - so I guess from that you can conclude that she lives far away, but they still have a good relationship.

Can't think of more, and all the timelines I know are only about the time covered by the show.

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I'd forgotten about the grandma reference/s. I can totally work with that. Thanks very much! :)

[moveforever.livejournal.com]

Jennifer mentioned about Justin's Teddy bear, it's name was Gus. (106)
Brian was in the chemistry club, he wanted blow up his school, but Michael talked him out of it. (112)

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

I knew about Gus the Bear, but I hadn't thought to work that into the story until your comment, so thank you! :)

[bidyke73.livejournal.com]

Not only did Jennifer take Justin to art galleries, she also encouraged him to draw at a very young age and he never stopped ever since (I think it's 105, where he meets Brian at Mel's and Lindsay's and Linds encourages him to show his art at the GLC.

And we can assume that Justin's had a hard time figuring out who he is, that short time before we first "meet" him he was very unhappy and withdrawn. His mother says in the car in 102 or 103 or so: "You laughed. It's been a while."

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that's an interesting bit of insight, about Justin trying to understand himself. Thanks for the help! :)

[kiddoditto.livejournal.com]

there is a german webside that has some great infos.

just go to http://www.qafgermany.de/INDEX2.html
on this page you click on "extras" (this is on top of the page in a blue caloured rainbow piece). after this you are linked to another side, on this you click on "alte schätze:die showtime journals". you'll see a side with a few character names. just click on them and you'll get information about this character (the information is in english, so no need to worry)

i hope this helps a bit.

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the help! :)

[marysunshine104.livejournal.com]

Justin's favorite movie growing up- Yellow Submarine.
I always wondered if the unusual animation appealed to his artistic side.

[simplystars.livejournal.com]

Thank you!