Fictional universe

This concept is most commonly associated with works of fantasy and science fiction, and can be found in various forms such as novels, comics, films, television shows, video games, and other creative works.

[1][2] In science fiction, a fictional universe may be a remote alien planet or galaxy with little apparent relationship to the real world (as in Star Wars); in fantasy, it may be a greatly fictionalized or invented version of Earth's distant past or future (as in The Lord of the Rings).

[1] In a 1970 article in CAPA-alpha, comics historian Don Markstein defined the fictional universe as meant to clarify the concept of fictional continuities.

According to the criteria he imagined:[3] Fictional universes are sometimes shared by multiple prose authors, with each author's works in that universe being granted approximately equal canonical status.

Other fictional universes, like the Ring of Fire series, actively court canonical stimulus from fans, but gate and control the changes through a formalized process and the final say of the editor and universe creator.