History CaptainErsatz / Literature

* Creator/DouglasAdams's book ''Literature/DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'' was based on a script he'd written for ''Series/DoctorWho'' ("Shada") that had never been completed due to a studio workers' strike. The character of Dirk Gently was created to replace the Doctor in the book, and the character of Richard [=MacDuff=] created as a Companion figure. Dirk Gently proved such an engaging character that Adams wrote a sequel, ''Literature/TheLongDarkTeaTimeOfTheSoul'', and was working on a third book [[AuthorExistenceFailure when he died]]. ''Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency'' actually borrows from both the above mentioned ''Shada'' and another Doctor Who serial, ''City of Death'', which Adams co-wrote. Compare the BigBad's plan in both.

* Michael Shea's novel ''Nift the Lean'' was written as a sequel to Creator/JackVance's first Cugel the Clever novel before Vance himself wrote an official sequel. Thus, Nift is a CaptainErsatz of Cugel. However, since Nift is paired with a BarbarianHero named Barnar, there's another level of ersatzes, as Barnar and Nift are respectively based off of FafhrdAndTheGrayMouser.

** The titular Indestructable Man, Captain Grant Matthews, is {{Captain Scarlet}}. (Names after Cary Grant, whom the puppet was modeled on, and voice actor Francis Matthews.)

*** Lunar Base is the Moonbase. It's also the Moonbase from ''{{Space1999}}''.

* Similarly, before Sherlock Holmes lapsed into the public domain, several novels pitted Arsene Lupin against "Herlock Sholmes". And actually continue to do so, in the French-speaking world at least.

** And the ''Literature/AnnoDracula'' stories include a vampire slayer by the name of [[Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer Barbie Winters]]...

** The Sharon family and their Global Response organisation are [[{{Thunderbirds}} the Tracys and International Rescue]]. ("Sharon" = "Tracy" is a reference to ''Series/BirdsOfAFeather''.)

* Al Ewing's contributions to the ''Pax Britannia'' SharedWorld (set in a SteamPunk {{Dystopia}} 20th century) feature El Sombra, a masked swordsman named Djego, whose main difference from Franchise/{{Zorro}} is that he's decidedly not a nobleman. ''Gods Of Manhattan'' is a TwoFistedTales pastiche which also includes Doc Thunder (DocSavage with a dash of [[Literature/{{Gladiator}} Hugo Danner]]), the Blood Spider (Radio/TheShadow with elements of TheSpider), the Blue Ghost (TheSpirit) and Jack Scorpio, Agent of S.T.E.A.M. (NickFury).

* In ''Literature/{{Graceling}}'', Katsa is possibly one of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'''s Katniss Everdeen, with similar name and archery skills.

** The Myloki are the Mysterons, and the unnamed aliens from ''UFO''.

* The main character of the superhero satire ''SuperFolks'' by Robert Mayer has powers more-or-less identical to Superman (who's specified as missing and presumed dead at the beginning of the book). His secret identity is named David Brinkley, and because he comes from the planet Cronk, he's vulnerable to Cronkite. The book also includes ersatzen of Plastic Man and Mr. Mxyzptlk, among loads of others.

*** Lt Neville Verdana is Lieutenent Green.
*** Colonel [=LeBlanc=] is Colonel White.

* Among the background weirdos who wander through the {{Nightside}}, there've been numerous references to "the [[DoctorWho Travelling Doctor]]".

* In Austin Grossman's ''SoonIWillBeInvincible'', [=CoreFire=], Elphin, and Blackwolf are easily recognizable pastiches of {{Superman}}, WonderWoman, and {{Batman}}, respectively. Other characters are also less-obviously drawn from other Marvel and DC characters. The central superhero group is sort of like a cross between the Avengers and the JLA, Doctor Impossible is a bit LexLuthor plus superpowers (and sympathy), Damsel is a bit Donna Troy + Ms. Marvel with some Storm thrown in, Rainbow Triumph is obviously Robin, Mister Magic is mostly Comicbook/DoctorStrange, and so on.

* Al Ewing's contributions to the ''Pax Britannia'' SharedWorld (set in a SteamPunk {{Dystopia}} 20th century) feature El Sombra, a masked swordsman named Djego, whose main difference from Franchise/{{Zorro}} is that he's decidedly not a nobleman. ''Gods Of Manhattan'' is a TwoFistedTales pastiche which also includes Doc Thunder (DocSavage with a dash of [[Literature/{{Gladiator}} Hugo Danner]]), the Blood Spider (TheShadow with elements of TheSpider), the Blue Ghost (TheSpirit) and Jack Scorpio, Agent of S.T.E.A.M. (NickFury).

* The ''Literature/{{Temps}}'' short story "If Looks Could Kill", by DavidLangford stars the overweight detective Caligula Foxe (NeroWolfe), along with his legman Charlie Goodman (Archie Goodwin), his chef Franz (Fritz), and his associates Paul Sanza (Saul Panzer) and Terry Carver (Orrie Cather). Also mentioned are Charlie's lady friend Lila (Lily Rowan), paranorm detective Sally Cole (Sally Colt), and journalist Ron Cohen (Lon Cohen). DPR official Mr Cream ''might'' be intended as Inspector Cramer.

* Sometime after Creator/ArthurConanDoyle had publicly announced that no more SherlockHolmes tales would be forthcoming, a young August Derleth wrote to Doyle for permission to carry on using a pastiche; Doyle approved the idea, and Derleth began a series of tales, eventually to run over 40 years, about SolarPons, often reckoned the best of the many Holmes pastiches.
** Similarly, before Sherlock Holmes lapsed into the public domain, several novels pitted Arsene Lupin against "Herlock Sholmes".
*** And actually continue to do so, in the French-speaking world at least.

* In ''{{Graceling}}'', Katsa is possibly one of ''Literature/TheHungerGames'''s Katniss Everdeen, with similar name and archery skills.

* DouglasAdams's book ''Literature/DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'' was based on a script he'd written for ''Series/DoctorWho'' ("Shada") that had never been completed due to a studio workers' strike. The character of Dirk Gently was created to replace the Doctor in the book, and the character of Richard [=MacDuff=] created as a Companion figure. Dirk Gently proved such an engaging character that Adams wrote a sequel, ''Literature/TheLongDarkTeaTimeOfTheSoul'', and was working on a third book [[AuthorExistenceFailure when he died]].
** Similarly, ''H2G2/LifeTheUniverseAndEverything'' was largely based on his proposed script for a ''Doctor Who'' story, ''Doctor Who versus the Krikkitmen''. The role of the Doctor was taken by Slartibartfast (and towards the end by Trillian), largely because none of the other shiftless main characters of the ''Guide'' universe fit the bill.
** ''Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency'' actually borrows from both the above mentioned ''Shada'' and another Doctor Who serial, ''City of Death'', which Adams co-wrote. Compare the BigBad's plan in both.

** Don't forget the [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Xenomorph]]!
*** That's more of a LawyerFriendlyCameo, actually. Harry even quotes the second movie while fighting it.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' novel ''Proven Guilty'', spirits that feed on fear manifest at a horror movie convention and thus take the forms of Totally-Not-[[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy]], [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason]], and other slashers to attack people.

* [[HordeOfAlienLocusts The Vord]] in the ''Literature/CodexAlera'' are straight out of ''{{Starcraft}}''. If you're not thinking "ZergRush ''kekekekeke''" by halfway through ''Academ's Fury'', you're doing something wrong.

** In addition, according to [[WordOfGod Jim]], High Lord and Lady Placida are based on [[TheVorkosiganSaga Count and Countess Aral and Cordelia Vorkosigan]].

** In addition, according to [[WordOfGod Jim]], High Lord and Lady Placida are based on [[Literature/TheVorkosiganSaga Count and Countess Aral and Cordelia Vorkosigan]].

** In addition, according to [[WordOfGod Jim]], High Lord and Lady Placida are based on [[TheVorkosiganSaga Count and Countess Aral and Cordelia Vorkosigan]].

* The Clive Cussler novel ''Night Probe!'' includes a British agent, Brian Shaw, who is hinted - ''strongly'' hinted - to be {{James Bond}}.

* The Clive Cussler novel ''Night Probe!'' includes a British agent, Brian Shaw, who is hinted - ''strongly'' hinted - to be {{James Bond}} himself.

* The ''Literature/{{Temps}}'' short story "If Looks Could Kill", by DavidLangford stars the overweight detective Caligula Foxe (NeroWolfe), along with his legman Charlie Goodman (Archie Goodwin), his chef Franz (Fritz), and his associates Paul Sanza (Saul Panzer) and Terry Carver (Orrie Cather). Also mentioned are Charlie's lady friend Lila (Lily Rowan), paranorm detective Sally Cole (Sally Colt), and journalist Ron Cohen (Lon Cohen). DPR official Mr Cream ''might'' be intended as Inspector Cramer.

* ''TheSundering'' deliberately echoes ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' ([[PerspectiveFlip but written from the villains' point of view]]), so the vast majority of characters directly correspond to someone from Tolkien's legendarium.

* In KimNewman's novel ''The Quorum'', several of the characters are fans of CaptainErsatz comics characters Amazon Queen (Franchise/WonderWoman) and The Streak (The Flash), with shades of Franchise/{{Superman}}), and one is a comics writer creating ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths''-style series about them for comics company "ZC". The novel also mentions Dr. Shade, a British comics character who resembles TheShadow, whose first appearance was in Newman's story "The Original Dr. Shade", which in the course of describing the character's fictional publishing history performs a LampshadeHanging by mentioning that ''The Shadow'''s publishers once sued over the resemblance.