This is the main FAQs page for Jenny Everywhere. However, you can find questions more specifically related The Shifter Archive and the Origin and Early Days of Jenny Everywhere, in the related content links below. There also may be some information that crosses over between all sections. Much of the information on this page has been taken directly from the original JennyEverywhere.com’s FAQ page. However, some of it has been added to and/or updated by The Shifter Archive via research and interpretation.
Suggested Reading:
Who Is Jenny Everywhere? (Includes origin and the early days.)
What is The Shifter Archive? (Site specific questions.)
Who is Jenny Nowhere?
Contact: TheShifterArchive@gmail.com
Who Created Jenny Everywhere?
This is already answered several places, but we must make it clear again because a lot of people still keep asking if we had created her. No, we did not. Steven Wintle along with several members of the Barelith.com forum community did. She was developed and created during 2002 and 2003. The Shifter Archive is merely keeping tabs on Jennys (even beyond the original designs and intentions) and helping to keep the spirit alive.
^ Read The Late Shift by Rob Cave and Nelson Evergreen, for a great, quick introduction!
From the original website (pre 2006):
OPEN SOURCE COMIC BOOK CHARACTER
SEEKS SENSITIVE CREATOR-TYPES
The character of Jenny Everywhere is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving Jenny Everywhere, in order that others may use this property as they wish. All rights reversed.
While we strongly suggest you read through the rest of this site before you begin on your story, all you really need to begin is found above. It is absolutely necessary that this one condition be met, so that the spirit of this project will be continued. Thank you.
Who is Jenny Everywhere?
Though the character of Jenny Everywhere is vague enough to allow for many different interpretations, there are a few things that define who she is. Do all these signifiers need to be represented? Absolutely not. But the fewer that you use, the less likely that your character will be recognized as Jenny Everywhere.
She has short, dark hair. She usually wears aviation goggles on top of her head and a scarf around her neck. Otherwise, she dresses in comfortable clothes. She is average size and has a good body image. She has loads of confidence and charisma. She appears to be Asian or Native American. She has a ready smile.
Does Jenny have any powers?
Jenny Everywhere exists in all dimensions at once. She has the accumulated wisdom of all her other selves, and she can potentially shape or change dimensional properties. Her powers basically allow her to have wildly diverging storylines without having to worry about continuity. Her powers aren’t the reason for the story, they’re the means to get to the story. Since she exists everywhere at the same time, you should have no trouble throwing her into any situation you choose, be it riding dinosaurs in the Wild West or arm wrestling Richard Nixon on the moon. For the Shifter, any adventure is possible.
Some people may want to explore her powers further. Keep in mind that your story does not have to showcase any overt uses of her powers at all. In fact, though her powers may be put to use in a fair number of ways, the concept behind Jenny is that she prefers to get out of dangerous situations without the use of these powers. She thrives on the thrill and always plays fair, even if it brings her close to death.
LEGAL STUFF
If I create a Jenny Everywhere story, am I obligated to give it to you for your website and/or publication?
Absolutely not. We hold no claim over any story produced using the Jenny Everywhere character. One of our purposes in creating Jenny is that people can create stories involving this character free of any editorial constraints. If you create a Jenny story and we never even hear about it, that’s fine by us–though we would be pleased if you would consider letting us know, so we could check it out.
Is it ok to get published and/or paid by another source for my Jenny Everywhere story?
Yes. Your story is your story. You have every right to use and exploit your story in any way you wish. But keep in mind that the character of Jenny Everywhere belongs to everyone, so you have no more rights to the character than anyone else and can not transer total rights to another person or organization.
HOWEVER: If one of the conditions of selling your story is also to sell the character of Jenny for any exclusivity, you are not free to do so. This is the one and only rule for the Jenny Everywhere concept. If you do this, you are selling your publisher a bill of goods and nothing else.
From the The Shifter Archive (post 2006):
The Shifter Archive Interpretive Answers
So Jenny Everywhere is basically open license… but what about other people’s stories and designs?
Each Jenny Everywhere story should be respected as a copyright of the people that came up with it. However, if you have an idea that could be BASED off of one of these stories, or one of these stories could serve as a back story (Like “Soulless Mate” is loosely based off of “My Bloody Valentine”), should be OK. However you should still try and contact the original authors about your idea, particularly if it is heavily or largely based off of their story. Otherwise I do believe it is fine.
The reasoning that her scarf and goggles came from her Mother (who is only known as “a famous pilot who disappeared”). In a couple stories, We have also found out that her favorite food is toast. Which I believed was first mentioned in The Late Shift.
Remember that there are an infinite number of Jenny Everywhere’s so there is a infinite amount of possibilities of stories. They all do not need to link up into a timeline or anything. Though some can and do. But you can also make something that contradicts another Jenny story if you’d like as well. Infinite possibilities!
What about other people’s character designs?
Well, this is something where it might get a little confusing, but there are a few core elements in being a Jenny Everywhere. Again:
“She has short, dark hair. She usually wears aviation goggles on top of her head and a scarf around her neck. Otherwise, she dresses in comfortable clothes. She is average size and has a good body image. She has loads of confidence and charisma. She appears to be Asian or Native American. She has a ready smile.”
Jenny has also been frequently seen wearing a long fall/winter coat. Her personality has tended to be a bit rebellious, or “for the people”. She may also be a bit naive (she does not always know the worlds she shifts to), but very creative and “worldly”. Also, her favorite food is toast.
Technically… any of these can be messed with. In The Death of Jenny Everywhere there was a sighting of a Cat Jenny Everywhere, a African Jenny Everywhere, and a pre-op Johnny Everywhere. And in The Nipped Nap, the first fill story of Jenny as a humanoid, anthropomorphic animal, had her as a Fox.
The trick is to not go “too far” because then people may have a harder time identifying Jenny. Basically if you change some things, make sure you keep other things… for recognition purposes. If you choose to make a Jenny with a different ethnic background, keep the goggles and scarf. Some people have even just kept the goggles and her ethnicity. In Infinity Apartment, Jenny ends up having just glasses by the end. There are many possibilities.
Oh, and as far as “borrowing” other people’s designs: It should be OK for the most part for adaptations, since so many are fully or partially or similarly based off of other Jenny designs already. But I would recommend against a FULL copy/mock of one’s design unless you get their permission. But I doubt this would be an issue anyway.
Are there any Jennys that can openly be copied?
Yes! For those that may worry about copying too much of anyone’s design, there are a few that people can readily copy and adapt from. However, it is always encouraged that people try to create their own versions!
There are Steve Wintle’s original designs which are Public Domain, which can be found here and here. Also, Diana Nock has a Creative Commons By-Sa (give attribution and share-alike), licensed image which can be found here.
What are her… uh… preferences?
Does she like guys or girls? According to stories that people have been creating with her from the start: all of the above. Remember: Infinite possibilities. Honestly, you can have her be attracted to whomever. Some stories have shown her dating non-humans as well (with who-knows-what kinds of gender and genitalia). In GENERAL, Jenny doesn’t seem to be the kind that would give too much though about gender roles, sexual identity, or preferences. She likes what she likes.
Can I make an “Evil Jenny”?
I remind that she was also developed as a “good guy” or hero, though some people have made her neutral, merely a protagonost. A controversial story is New York Chaos, in which Jenny can be portrayed as a revolutionary/terrorist, and it is suggested that a couple of law enforcement get killed in the process of her blowing up the Statue of Liberty…. Like I said, controversial.
I will say that you will probably be looked down upon by others of the Jenny Everywhere community, if you do something like this or worse with the character. Of course, there are right/wrong. good/bad ways to go about using a Jenny in this way, and I do not wish to dictate anyone’s creativity. I’m merely making you conscious of what could happen. I might recommend looking into using Jenny Nowhere.
What exactly are Jenny’s “shifting” abilities?
Previously not directly answered, but it is worth bringing up for discussion. Actually, the original idea was that “she exists in all universes at once”, more or less. While there have been several comics where Jenny is not doing this specifically. Suffice to say, it is open to interpretation, and what would work best for the story one has in mind. The following are just a few examples:
- Jenny can simply exist in all universes at once with or without shifting recollections of other versions of herself.
- Jenny can shift herself between different versions of herself in other universes. With or without changing her appearance.
- Jenny is a lone being that can shift between other universes, with or without changing appearances.
- Jenny can meet other versions of herself, meaning a single Jenny is not restricted to one universe.
- Jenny can shift OTHER THINGS and people between universes, with or through her.
These are but a few examples, collected from several different comics featuring The Shifter. People are, of course, not limited to these examples. In the earlier comics, the whole “shifting” aspect wasn’t always utilized, and she would merely be on some adventure.
What are these “Shifter Archive Interpretations”?
Well, we try to make sure we are not putting words into the mouths of the original creators. When you see areas where we specify our own interpretations, it is a summation of much research, designed to expand explanations and clarify intent and understanding. Like the Supreme Court without any actual power. Feel free to ask us questions, or clarify any concerns you may have. Outside of trying to contact the original creators, this site is your best bet for the best possible answers and interpretations.
