what is contemporary or urban fantasy?

Question

is a person with supernatural and mutant powers in a modern day world consider contemporary or urban fantasy and is a fantasy world set in 1920s considered contemporary fantasy?

Answer 1

Depends to some degree on how it's handled. Obviously most people would not consider most superhero comics to be urban fantasy, yet they may well have supernatural powers. There are a number of things that are generally true of urban fantasy. It involves magical or traditionally supernatural (ghosts, elves, werewolves, etc.) creatures, At least some of the events of the story are in some way supernatural. Abnormal events or persons do not normally have a scientific explanation. Most urban fantasies are set in or near the present of the time they were written. The characters may interact with modern technology as well as magic, many urban fantasies define specific relationships between magic and technology (anything from hostility to total interaction).

As to the 1920's setting, it would most likely be considered contemporary fantasy, although it would be a slightly unusual twist. Really, it would live in an odd space between contemporary and historical fantasy and could be arguably considered either or both.

Answer 2

I think what you're asking about is urban legends. These are stories thet everyone swears are true, because they have a friend who heard it, and so on.

A famous one is the enormous alligators in New York sewers. People returning from Florida vacations bring baby alligators as pets. They raise them first in a terrarium, then in the bathtub. When they see that the alligator is going to be a monster, they carry it to a corner sewer grating and dump it in. There are people who are sure that there are herds of huge alligators in vast tunnels. Not true, of course.

Answer 3

Excuse me, .........