The problem with the 'comics happened in another world' theory, for me, is that one of the reason why I read the prequel comics was to fill in gaps left in the novels. If they those events happened in another world, then did they occur in the Novel-verse at all? Or is it just the stuff that contradicts?
Okay, I say 'a problem', it's not that big a problem really, but it makes me think. I guess one can simply make their own decision on that.
Also, with the other worlds thing, I get the impression that alternate versions of a character are at least the same species! Sure, in The Talisman,
Spoiler:
the bullies at Sunset house appear to have gargoyles as twinners, and Gardener's own psychotic son's twinner is a maggotty monster in The Territories world. However, it's explained that this kid had mutated as a result of a radiation sickness in the Blasted Lands. I wouldn't be surprised if the gargoyles started off as human too.
In the case of Maerlyn though, having one as good and one as evil would be quite a stretch in itself, although not too much of one I guess as I think even the good Maerlyn has a dark side and might well have dabbled in dodgy areas, particularly if he had a hand in the Wizard's Rainbow. But one as a demon of the prim and one human? (At least I assume the one from The Wind... is human, I got that impression, as he speaks about being a lad at one point. If he's not, I don't believe a demon can be good, although Mia seemed to exist in a grey area even before she was influenced by Susannah.) I don't think parallels work like that.
Curiously, I never really saw the two origins of Flagg as contradictory. It's just a matter of interpreting Walter's human parentage differently. (
Spoiler:
He is adopted.
) Robin Furth can't really take the blame for that one as she apparently got her origin story from King himself. It does look like King changed his mind though. The new origin fits in better with The Stand version certainly.
