Counter-Publics in Digital Spaces: Exploring Red vs Blue

In contemporary society, the dynamics of public discourse are complex and multifaceted, shaped by a myriad of factors including power dynamics, dominant narratives, and marginalized voices. Michael Warner's seminal article "Publics and Counter Publics" provides a comprehensive framework for understanding these dynamics. Warner's exploration of the heterogeneity of public spaces and the importance of embracing public discourse sets the stage for a deeper examination of how marginalized voices manifest and thrive within alternative discursive arenas. Henry Jenkins' discussion of fan media and textual poaching further enriches our understanding of the counter-public, illustrating how fans actively engage with and subvert dominant cultural narratives through participatory culture. Against this backdrop, the video series Red vs Blue emerges as a compelling manifestation of the counter-public within the interactive media genre. Through an analysis of Michael Warner's concept of the counter public and Henry Jenkins' discussion of fan media and textual poaching, this essay examines how the video series Red vs Blue, created by Burnie Burns and produced by Rooster Teeth, serves as a manifestation of the counter public within the interactive media genre. By subverting the dominant narratives of the video game series Halo, Red vs Blue provides an oppositional reading that explores themes and perspectives typically marginalized in mainstream public spheres, thus contributing to the development and dissemination of alternative voices and discourses within digital media culture.

Michael Warner’s article “Publics and Counter Publics” does a great job in framing the differences between the public and counter-public and their relationship with each other. Warner’s explanation of the public in a traditional sense, is a general space where people have the ability to have rational deliberation and consensus-building. Public spaces are where public opinion and narratives are created, people with dominant identities who have access to these spaces are the ones that perpetuate dominant opinions. Warner particularly notes that public spaces are heterogeneous and rarely reach a consensus. We as a society should be embracing that fact and accepting “public discourse”, or disagreements in what the main narrative within public spaces should be. In response to the public, the counter-public manifests. Counterpublics can be referred to as “discursive arenas where members of subordinated social groups invent and circulate counterdiscourses to formulate oppositional interpretations of their identities, interests, and needs” (Warner). In this quote, Warner explains that the counter-public is where those who are excluded from public narratives gather and discuss alternative perspectives and readings of public discourse. Oftentimes, those who occupy counter-public spaces are marginalized groups who do not hold dominant identities. Through the counter-public, these groups are able to challenge dominant narratives safely within their circles and circulate perspectives on issues of gender, sexuality, race, and class.

Henry Jenkins in their article “Star Trek Rerun, Reread, Rewritten: Fan Writing as Textual Poaching” a manifestation of the counter public is explored through fan fiction and fan media. Fanfiction particularly is a site of participatory culture where fans of a property are able to actively engage and contribute to the narratives they love. It is not uncommon for fanfiction to be stories from within the universe that have been created, in an attempt to explore themes and scenarios that may not be present in “official” storylines. For instance, in the Jenkins article, an extensive collaborative piece of fan media is created inspired by an appreciation of the Star Trek universe. In the collaborative piece poems, drawings, and short stories that include original characters within the Stark Trek universe are presented. In this instance, the fans of the Star Trek property are participating in a form of textual poaching, which is a phrase Jenkin uses to describe the unauthorized reappropriation of texts by consumers. Textual poaching in this article is argued to be imperative to dominant and traditional ideology. The act of textual poaching challenges traditional notions of authorship and ownership and blurs the lines between what should be considered the “true” storyline within a piece of media. Textual poaching is a subversive act of resistance against dominant cultural norms and ideologies because it allows marginalized individuals to assert their own identities and perspectives within the confines of mainstream media. Fan media can be seen as a form of counter-public because it provides space for those without dominant identities to explore a property that is mainstream and public and reinterpret it in a way that includes non-normative voices to be heard.

The marriage between the counter-public and fan media is a harmonious one because of the ways that fan spaces create and perpetuate counter-spaces. Fan media is an example of people purposefully engaging with spaces that are outside of the public domain, and appropriating the media they love from an oppositional perspective. Warner in his article cites zines and newspapers, particularly as forms of counterculture that are meant to be read and circulated. The counter public in many ways needs places to manifest. While it is not absurd to imagine routine meetings from people within counter-public spaces to discuss their oppositional ideas, in contemporary times it is plausible to imagine those engaging with counter-public doing so through a multitude of platforms. Zines and newspapers are a form of physical media that can circulate from hand to hand and through word of mouth. Their impact is notable because they provided ways to start dialogue and discussion within the counter public before the internet became an accessible tool to remain engaged with oppositional opinions. In modern times the internet has provided enclaves where those with non-dominant ideologies and narratives can gather, discuss, and have their own discourse. The internet has also created space for fan interactions to go beyond the writing and reading of alternative canons--videos, clips, games, shorts, and video essays- are serious forms of visual media that contribute to both general counter spaces and specifically media-centered fan spaces. Videos are an interesting addition to the culture of counter-publics because they require a lower threshold of entry, are notably more accessible, and have an urgent sense of virality to them. That is to say, most people in our current time have the ability to capture video through their phones, and thus also have the ability to record, edit, and post their videos onto platforms where they can seen by an indefinite amount of people. The role visual media plays within counter spaces is complex enough to be its own discussion, as its popularity lends itself to Warner's idea of the fluidity between public and counter-public spaces.

Red vs Blue began as a planned eight-episode series that followed the misadventures of two teams of soldiers on opposing sides of an intergalactic space war and quickly became wildly popular amongst internet spaces. RvB (Red vs Blue) was created by Asian-American Burnie Burns and was released onto the production company Rooster Teeth’s website on April 1st, 2003. This series of video shorts utilized the in-game graphics of the video game Halo by screen recording interactions between several teams of playable characters from a third-person perspective. The team behind RvB utilized the fact that all characters wore metal uniforms, including helmets that covered character faces, to overlay their screen recording with recorded audio of actor voices to make comedic scenes and episodes. What started as a short comedy on Rooster Teeth’s website became a success and was made widely available through YouTube and eventually on Netflix. What made RvB so interesting was its ability to utilize its source material through graphics and asides made by the characters referencing that they still existed within the boundaries of the universe. Where RvB divulged was in its themes and characters, as it allowed itself to explore themes of friendship, love, and an exploration of identity. RvB’s early success was due to it’s unique themes, which at the time were rarely highlighted in first-person shooter video games. This was coupled with its accessibility through free streaming platforms such as YouTube, and the obvious tie it had to the well-known Halo Universe property. The community that RvB created is a materialization of the counter public within the video game community.

The significance of RvB popularity is highlighted when the official canon of Halo is understood, as well as the overall culture that has historically surrounded first-person shooter video games. The simplified plot of the Halo games is a political drama that revolves around humanity's struggle against various constantly evolving alien species that seek to destroy humanity. At the center of this conflict is the game's protagonist, Master Chief, who is a supersoldier known as Spartan whose crucial role is to fight against all threats to humanity. The themes of the game center around politics and the military-industrial complex. The official story of Halo is on its own compelling and deserving of an exploration in its own right. However, its serious themes coupled with the core gameplay loop of “shoot and kill” create a general audience around the game that leaves little room for nuanced conversations. Dominant narratives surrounded the game and were exclusionary of other readings of the plot. RvB was unique in the way that it was received well by the public, but also created space within its community for oppositional readings of both the original games and the story created in RvB. Within the comments underneath the videos, large threads were created devoted to particular themes within the videos that people personally connected to. This was revolutionary as spaces talking about video games were often left to feel very divisive and an unwelcome place for perspectives that differed from dominant ideologies. Instead, comments and threads were supported by other fans of both properties, and support was given within these counter spaces.

The production of RvB also lent itself to the cultivation of this counter space. Unlike shows that are typically found on cable television, the creators of YouTube videos especially at that time made themselves accessible to their audience and receptive to their feedback and suggestions. Marginalized individuals were able to talk about the ways they connected or interpreted the Halo games, and how they wanted to see those interpretations of the games manifest in the videos they were watching. In a way like the works of fan media discussed by Jenkins, the showrunners and audience of RedvsBlue were able to create alternative and at times oppositional media that was collaborative and accessible.

Michael Warner's concept of publics and counter-publics provides a valuable framework for understanding the dynamics of discourse and opposition within contemporary society. Warner's delineation of public spaces as sites of heterogeneous discourse, often dominated by individuals with privileged identities, contrasts sharply with the emergence of counter-publics—alternative discursive arenas where marginalized groups formulate oppositional interpretations of their identities and experiences. Jenkins' exploration of textual poaching further illuminates the ways in which counter-publics engage with and subvert dominant cultural narratives. Fan media serves as a participatory space where fans actively contribute to and reinterpret mainstream texts, challenging traditional notions of authorship and ownership. The marriage between counter-publics and fan media, exemplified by the phenomenon of Red vs Blue not only provides a platform for alternative readings of the source material but also fosters a supportive community where marginalized voices are heard and valued. Through platforms like YouTube and online forums, RvB creates space for dialogue and collaboration, enabling fans to engage with and reshape mainstream narratives in ways that reflect their own identities and experiences. The success of RvB highlights the importance of accessible and inclusive media spaces where diverse perspectives can flourish. In essence, Warner's concept of counter-publics and Jenkins' theory of textual poaching offer valuable insights into the ways in which marginalized groups engage with and resist dominant cultural narratives. Through fan media and participatory culture, individuals are empowered to assert their own identities and perspectives, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable public discourse. As we continue to navigate the complexities of contemporary society, understanding and embracing the multiplicity of publics and counter-publics is essential for fostering a more just and inclusive world.

Bibliography

Warner, Michael. "Publics and Counter Publics." Quarterly Journal of Speech, vol. 88, no. 4, 2002, pp. 413-425.

Jenkins, Henry. "Star Trek Rerun, Reread, Rewritten: Fan Writing as Textual Poaching." Critical Studies in Media Communication, vol. 9, no. 2, 1992, pp. 502-523.

Burns, Burnie, creator. Red vs Blue. Rooster Teeth, 2003-2021.