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Fictional Speculation and Geography.

Television shows, movies and comic books often use fictional countries to set their stories in. DC Comics even goes a step further and creates fictional cities. (Question: Why did Arrow writers change Star City to Starling City? They kept Central City, which is a lamer name if you ask me, as is...) I presume they do this because they don't want to cause an international incident. It would drive me insane while watching the '60's  Mission: Impossible series and they'd be in Kuala Rokat or somewhere and I'd be like, "Where the fudge is that?" The '80's series and the movies came up with a better solution: go to a real country and take down an arms dealer or something just hiding out there, which if you watch the news, really happens. Novels in the political thriller genre, such as my own, at least try to go this root.  (At least ones I've read in the last 30 or so years. 

But what if you don't have the rights to use the fictional country? In the Avengers sequel, scenes will take place in a country called Sokovia.  The kicker is production shots show it's near the Serbian city of Novi Sad.  (Readers of my second novel, Spring Thaw, will recognize the name.) According to Wikipedia, major Marvel villain Dr. Victor von Doom's home country of Latveria is where Serbia, Hungary and Romania meet. (Inside joke: In Spring Thaw, there's mention of a fictional poet Viktor Subinic. "Subinic" is a derivation of the Serbian word for "doom.") Unfortunately, Marvel sold the film rights for The Fantastic Four (and Doom) to Fox so they can't use their own country!

The point of my post? There really wasn't one.  Just felt like giving you all a glimpse into my head...

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