#Book Expo America

[xanticore]

could you do a fluff/smutty fic with james hetfield where he takes the readers v card pls <33 preferably an established relationship and set in the early 90s but you take the reigns !!

I hope you like this anon! I thought this au was so cute! <3

𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐍

Genre: Fluff and Smut

Setting: early 90s ; black album era

Warnings: piv, slight choking, mentions of alcohol and drinking. drugs involved (just cigarettes), unprotected. (wrap up)

Summary: Metallica was just about done with their world tour. Their last stops being in the states, selling out arenas and some stadiums they had booked. They were currently on break until it was time to tour North and South America. You guys were at a celebration party, celebrating a successful abroad tour. Though, James wanna celebrate in a different way, of course you couldn't say no to that.

"CHEERS TO A SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE...BLACK ALBUM TOUR. I WANNA THANK EVERYONE ON OUR TEAM FOR MAKING ANOTHER TOUR HAPPEN!" Lars said as he shot his red cup in the air that was filled with some type of alcohol.

Everyone said their cheers and cheered before taking a sip of their drink. "Another tour..another successful album to be quite frank." James raised his brow. You chuckled at his comment. You both were sitting on the couch playing a game of cards with Kirk and his girlfriend. The two couple across from you and nodded. "Dare I say we deserve something for it." Kirk said.

The band wasn't too focused on getting trophies but they highly appreciated the recognition they rightly deserved. You supported James and been with him since Kill em All. You really watched the band grow and become experienced with their sound and instruments. The fact you were able to witness everything in real time just gave you goosebumps.

Not only that, you couldn't stop thinking about how you two were about to celebrate 10 years of being together. 'A decade already?' You thought. Time was sure going fast and as the saying goes, 'Time goes by fast when you're having fun.' Rightfully so. You sure as hell was having the best time while dating James. There was never a dull moment in the 10 years you've been with him. You guys aren't perfect but you both matched each other perfectly.

It was getting late so you guys decided to head on home. You entered your shared apartment and you two were quick to just flop on your soft bed after being out all day. You two were exhausted and just needed some rest for a moment. A moment to relax for a bit.

"Home! god i miss this bed!" James said as his face was muffled in the pillow. He let out a guttural sigh that couldn't help but make you laugh. He turned his head to look at you with a smile.

"What?" You said curiously.

"Nothing...I just, you know..wanna celebrate my tour in a different way~ a quick blow? pleasee?" He asked politely. He knew that you were still a virgin but of course, you two managed to please each other when it came down to any of you being horny, so you wasn't entirely inexperienced.

"Don't you want more?"

"More?"

"Yeah?"

James looked at you confused as he sat up. "More what? I don't want nothing else.."

"Oh so you don't wanna take my virginity then?"

You can see when his heart skipped a beat and had butterflies in his stomach. "Wait- I-"

You just nodded as James obviously didn't have no words to say.

"Are you sure?" He asked. He slowly moved closer towards you. "Mmhm..I'm sure. 100%. I love you so so much and I'm ready." After your words, he kissed your cheek then moved towards your lips pecking them. "I will go easy on you baby. Just let me know when it hurts or you want me to slow down- or even stop ok?" He whispered in between each peck. Eventually, you guys were in a much needed kiss.

His tongue going against yours; exploring your familiar mouth. James had you stripped down in mere seconds. He was taking his time on you and didn't wanna rush a moment like this. He kissed down your stomach and kissed the waistband of your panties. He slowly slid them off exposing your wet cunt.

He loves going down on you ever since the first time you guys did it back in 83. You could definitely tell the difference between 20 year old James with no experience and a 30 year old James, with experience and knows all your rights spots from memory.

He was now at your entrance. He first rummaged through the bed side drawers to take out an unopened box of condoms. James also had a box; just in case for moments like these when you were feeling up for it.

"No-" You said grabbing his wrist. "Don't put it on..." James was taken aback and looked at you for a moment indeed of reassurance. You nodded and he just put the box back. "Damn so i technically bought those for nothing?" He shook his head as you giggled. He was a pretty good size in length and girth. Your heart was pounding and it was way too late to back down now. He slowly pushed himself into, feeling your tight walls around him. "Fuck-" He cursed under his breath. You groaned at the slight pain and even winced a bit. The pain was sharp and uncomfortable and it had you breathing heavily.

"Calm down, breath. I don't want you to pass out." James said as he caressed his cheek. He was now fully inside of you. He kept this position for a minute until you were comfortable and ready. He began moving slowly, his thrust was manageable but it was still highly uncomfortable for you. You soon relaxed your body more and kept breathing. Eventually you got the hand of his movements and his size. The moment you felt comfortable is the moment your body wanted more. James being a gentleman that he is, he still kept going slow.

His low groans and grunts filled the room and it turned you on. "Go a little faster..." You told him in a whisper. "You sure baby doll?"

You nodded.

You didn't have to tell James twice. He increased his thrust speed to a medium. That unfamiliar uncomfortable feeling was finally long gone and out of your hair. You officially lost your virginity to the man you love and,, you didn't mind him using you like some toy.

Once you had a feel to him, James had you in all different positions. Different positions you never thought you could even do. He wasn't going soft and sweet but more rough and sloppy like he hadn't fucked in ages...technically he hasn't but he's willing to wait. You guys were both back to missionary and he moved his hand down to your throat, softly squeezing it; filling your choking kink you always had.

His eyes were dark and his voice was deep and raspy. "Gonna come now baby...fuck-" He moaned out. Your moans were the only sounds being heard throughout the room besides the harsh smacking of skin to skin contact. He was thrusting hard and deep in your cunt. "Yeah..i think- i feel it-" You whined. He subconsciously went even more faster and rougher. You thought he was gonna break the bed but you didn't care. In the heat of the moment you, just wanted to come; and you came.

He quickly pulled out, jerking himself off as he released himself onto your stomach, causing a sticky mess. "Fuck- fucck-" He huffed and took a deep breath. He looked down at you, your face was red and tired from the activity. He grabbed a few tissues and cleaned up your stomach. "Thats my girl...thats.my.girl." He said before landing two kisses on your cheeks. You smiled and watched him lay on his side of the bed catching his breath.

"You know were locked in now...like this." He said putting his crossed fingers. "Im happy to be your first, and I'm willing to be your first in anything else."

"My first husband??"

"Now don't spoil our future...but yeah...your first husband." He turned to wink at you causing your heart to skip a beat.

a/n: I hope you like this fic anon and and anyone else that read it.

dividers: cr to owners

[yikesharringrove]

steve and billy teaching in the same school!! there's these teachers in my school and they work right across the hall from each other. they're always yelling into each others classrooms.

she teaches english lit 101 and he teaches gov 102

"Harrington!"

Some of the kids snickered quietly when Mr. Harrington jumped at the shout from across the hall.

He stared blankly at the last word he had written on the board, the black Expo mark wiggles from where he had jumped at the yell of his name.

He turned around, sighing exaggeratedly at Mr. Hargrove standing in the doorway.

"Kids, excuse my coworker here." He crossed his arms around his chest. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, you can Mr. H."

Steve rolled his eyes as his husband swaggered into his classroom, leading a line of ninth graders with him.

It's not the first time Billy's interrupted his class with a question about some inane bullshit that launched Steve into an over-excited rant for the rest of class.

Steve's tenth and eleventh graders were already closing their textbooks, knowing their teacher was just about to be insanely distracted for the rest of class.

"The birds n' I are reading The Crucible."

Fuck.

Steve's pretty sure Billy's kids pay him to bring them across the hall for these impromptu lectures.

"Witch hunts. I get it."

"Yeah, you know. Anyway, I'm giving some context to the publishing of the book. The Red Scare in the United States, well, the second Red Scare, as well as the rise of McCarthyism coincided with the publishing of the play."

Goddammit.

Steve's fucking master's thesis was on all about McCarthyism (more specifically, how the second Red Scare was directly linked to the Lavender Scare.) He cited the stupid play in his research.

Billy knows that. They were already engaged by the time Steve began his master's program.

Fuck this guy, for real.

Steve quietly closed his power point presentation on interest groups in America.

"Fine. Mr. Hargrove's class, find a seat. My class, your packet is still due Friday. I'll post the slides after class." He glared at Billy.

Billy grinned right back, his tongue poking out in that frustrating way it has since high school.

"1950s United States. What do you know?"

A few hands went up.

Even Billy raised his stupid hand. Steve ignored him.

-

"Which brings us to the end of the decade. With the early 1960s, we have the reformation in the Catholic Church, known as Vatican ll-"

The bell cut him off mid-sentence, and there was a mad scramble as the students all tried to pack up as quickly as possible, before Steve could keep going.

"My class," he nearly shouted over the scraping of chairs against linoleum. "Your packets are still due Friday! I don't care that Mr. Hargrove interrupted our time."

"And birds! The rubric is posted on the class page! I want outlines handed in on Tuesday."

The classroom door closed behind the final kid.

"You're a dick."

Billy laughed.

"Nah, you just teach that shit so much better than I do."

Steve rolled his eyes. He sat behind his desk, yanking over a stack of twelfth grade research assignments to begin grading. Billy perched on the other side of his desk.

"Y'know, you could just ask me to come in and lecture. You don't have to interrupt my own class."

"Yeah, but it's fun to wind you up and watch you go. And I think the birds like it when they see that you're passionate about something. Why do you think I always start with The Joy Luck Club?"

"Because you have mommy issues."

"No. Because Ying-ying's story makes me sob like a bitch, and the birds get to realize that I'm a real-life human."

Steve scrubbed his face with his hands, collecting himself before facing his dumbass husband again.

"Wait, you said they had an essay due. What's the essay?"

"Oh, comparing the Salem Witch Trials and the goings on of the U.S. government in the mid 1950s. You know."

"So, you created an assignment, knowing that I would infodump all that shit to your kids?"

"Yes."

"I want a divorce."

Billy laughed, leaning over Steve's desk to kiss his forehead.

"No, you don't."

"No, I don't. I love you. But also you suck."

The bell sounded to indicate the end of passing period.

Billy got off the desk, stretching with a groan.

"Would you be mad if I brought my senior class in?"

Steve glared at him in the doorway.

"What's the assignment?"

"They're presenting on the parallels between 1984 and the current political climate."

Goddammit.

"Bring 'em in."

[rillyfrilly]

rillyfrilly rambles…! ୨ৎ

a guide to misako aoki for newer lolitas! ദ്ദി(｡•̀ ,<)~✩‧₊

♡ ‧₊˚ ⋅ ౨ৎ ‧₊ .ᐟ

if you're newer to lolita fashion, especially sweet, you might be wondering who this beautiful, cherubic model is that graces coordinates from your favorite brands such as angelic pretty, baby the stars shine bright, etc.. or maybe you've even heard of the brand "m x petit"? not to wonder any further as this cutie is legendary lolita icon: misako aoki, also known in japan as aoki misako. ✨

misako has long since graced the lolita scene with her presence, specializing in her style of choice: sweet lolita 🍬, while also adorning other styles as can be seen via her social media page / through magazine shoots she still does present day. (,,>ヮ<,,)!

her introduction into lolita fashion is nothing short of special, whimsical, and only something someone could dream of..! it went a little like this... ( ⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝) it was 1998 when misako was scouted at the age of 15 to wear lolita fashion. she'd already been in the industry at such a young age, modeling for a popular magazine of the time when she was discovered. so, when this opportunity came it must've been nothing new to her (minus the lolita fashion she was given the opportunity to wear). while she said at first she was not a fan of the fashion, modeling in it made her confidence and love for it grow. thankfully she grew to love it, because she'd have no idea how much of a pioneer she'd come to be in the future of lolita fashion.

her successes in lolita fashion were not just in photoshoots and becoming a well-known nationwide cutie, it was also recognized by the government of japan! ( ∩´͈ ᐜ `͈∩) in 2009 misako was appointed by the japanese foreign ministry to be the ambassador of kawaii - a title which she was a little reluctant to use at the time, but quickly grew fond of when it came to recognizing what her role entailed as a national ambassador. for example, her duties consisted of her traveling the world to spread the word of all things cute and lolita~! she was even a guest at a large scale convention in america known as anime expo..! (づ> v <)づ♡

misako at foreign expos (left: anime expo, 2012 + right: japan exo, 2014)

in 2013 misako was appointed head of the japan lolita association, founded by omura beauty fashion college, and shortly after published her own book in 2014 detailing her experience as a legendary lifestyle lolita. meanwhile, all of these years of lolita and you'd expect her to be tired from carving out her own history, right? no! misako managed at some point continue pursing higher education and successfully in the end managed to become a successful nurse alongside her career as a lolita model and cultural icon. (´▽`)

she's truly nothing short of amazing and i admire her so much. she is my biggest idol as a lolita, as she still presently wears it at 41 after all this time and has no intention of stopping ever it seems! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و i hope to be just like her in the future, as she really did help cement such a wonderful fashion at a time where it was most opposed, alongside many others of the time.

fun things to note:

in 2014 misako collaborated with baby, the stars shine bright to release a pullip doll of herself which comes with her own btssb coord and a nurse's uniform to represent misako's other profession as a nurse. ᕙ( •̀ ᗜ •́ )ᕗ

♡ ‧₊˚ ⋅ ౨ৎ ‧₊ .ᐟ

afterword: thank you for reading! i really enjoyed writing this, although most of the information came from already available sources. i tried my best to keep everything in my own wording, but it is nice to format things onto my blog for those who may not have the energy to do some digging on their own! i hope you enjoyed nonetheless, cuties! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝ꕤ*.ﾟ

riri ❤︎₊ ⊹

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The Cory Doctorow Humble Bundle

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in TUCSON (Mar 9-10), then San Francisco (Mar 13), Anaheim, and more!

It's been 21 years and 29 days since Tor Books published my first novel, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. In the years since, Tor has published every one of my novels, sending me around the USA and Canada to talk about them. Now, they've teamed up with Humble Bundle to sell 18 of my ebooks on a name-your-price basis, with part of the proceeds going to benefit EFF:

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/cory-doctorow-novel-collection-tor-books-books

I've been associated with EFF even longer than I've been published by Tor! My first novel came out while I was working EFF's first-ever booth at CES. I split my time between the booth and my motel room, where I paid $0.25/call to dial up to Earthlink's local number and manage the launch-day publicity. Over the years, I've benefited immensely from Tor's editorial and publicity departments, working with brilliant publishing people like Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Patty Garcia, Dot Lin, Laura Etzkorn, Elena Stokes, Sarah Reidy, Lucille Rettino, and of course, Tor founder Tom Doherty.

But I like to think that it was a two-way street. Tor and I have come a long way together on ebooks: most visibly, they allowed me to publish several novels under Creative Commons licenses (my first book was the first ever CC book, coming out just weeks after the licenses themselves launched). As my editor Patrick Nielsen Hayden said at the time, "Ebooks have the worst hours-in-meeting-to-dollars-in-revenue ratio of anything in my publishing career. Why not?"

https://craphound.com/down/download/

Just as important – but less visible – was Tor's willingness to let me insist that all my books be published without DRM, meaning that anything you buy on say, Amazon, can be moved to any reader program if you decide to start getting your ebooks elsewhere. This worked so well that in 2012, Tor became the first major publisher in the world to ban DRM on all its ebooks, flying me, John Scalzi and Charlie Stross to New York City to announce it this at a big, splashy event at Book Expo America:

https://web.archive.org/web/20130512022634/https://tor.com/blogs/2012/06/tor-books-announces-e-book-store-doctorow-scalzi-a-stross-talk-drm-free

Tor's unique status as the sole major DRM-free publisher in the world was well timed! That same year, I curated the very first Humble Ebook Bundle, which was very top-heavy with Tor titles, and raised more than $1,000,000 for the writers, publishers and charities associated with it:

https://web.archive.org/web/20121017215636/http://www.humblebundle.com/

That opened the floodgates to a series of Humble Bundles, tempting other major publishers to dabble with DRM-free, including Simon and Schuster:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-I5QyAfglU

And Harpercollins:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHMLfeCrCrE

Now, 12 years after that inaugural Humble Ebook Bundle, I find myself honored by being the subject of a bundle of my own (it helps that I've written a hell of a lot of books in the intervening years). Included in the bundle are (nearly) all of my Tor novels and novellas: The Lost Cause; "The Canadian Miracle" (a Lost Cause story); Red Team Blues; Radicalized; Walkaway; "Party Discipline" (a Walkaway story); Pirate Cinema; Rapture of the Nerds (with Charlie Stross); For The Win; Makers; Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town; Eastern Standard Tribe, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, Little Brother, Homeland, Attack Surface, and "Lawful Interception" (a Little Brother story).

(The sole exclusion is The Bezzle, which came out two weeks ago and is already a USA Today national bestseller!)

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865878/thebezzle

Also included in the bundle is Poesy the Monster Slayer, my 2020 picture book for the littlies:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781626723627/poesythemonsterslayer

All these books are delivered as DRM-free epub files. The Bundle runs for the next three weeks, and the minimum buy-in is $18 – that's just $1/book (full retail value is $187). Of course, you can name a higher price, and, as with all Humble Bundles, you can adjust the final split to share out the money between me, EFF, and the Humble folks.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/03/humbly-bundled/#eff-too

[disneytva]

D23 Expo Brasil Unveils The D23 Expo Main Arena Panels With Animation Filled Panels.

With less than a month to go before Disney fans can enjoy an unprecedented experience in Brazil, the concept map for D23 Brazil – A Disney Experience has been unveiled, along with more details on all areas of the event. 

November 8 - 3:00PM ET

Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios and 20th Century Animation Showcase

Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios and for the first time ever 20th Century Animation are expected to reveal huge announcements, teasers, trailers, first looks, updates, and more.

Sunday, November 10th - 1:30PM ET

Disney+ Has Everything!

"With illustrious guests, Disney+ comes to celebrate the most successful series and unforgettable legacies with announcements, teasers, trailers, first looks, updates, and more." If Disney TVA gets to even be part of it likely will only be The Proud Family franchise. (Season 3, La Familia Avenúñez spin-off)

Not related to animation however Disney LATAM will have separate Disney+ Showcase panel at D23 Brazil for their Disney Novelas division, Sunday Nov 10 at 4:00PM ET

Speaking of why Disney hasn't opened it's own LATAM TV Animation Division like Cartoon Network Latin America with Villainous, The Real World of Any Malu, Jorel's Brother, Ninjin, Oswaldo and Frankelda's Book of Spooks

[eretzyisrael]

by Robert Zimmerman

They’re coming for you next: In a sign that the corporate world is still kow-towing to pro-Hamas anti-Semites, Marvel Studios had decided to erase a long-standing Israeli character from its next Captain America movie, changing her from a former Israeli Mossad agent to a former Soviet spy with no links to any Jewish heritage.

While in the original Marvel comics continuity, Ruth Bat-Seraph serves as the Mossad agent mutant superhero Sabra, in a recent summary for the February 2025 film Bat-Seraph is described as a former member of the Soviet Russian Black Widow super spy program – the same program that trained Scarlett Johansson’s Avengers of the same name. The summary made no mention of Bat-Seraph’s codename, Sabra, which comes from the slang term for native-born Israeli, though other characters are referred to by their alter-egos. Anti-Israel activists have taken issue with the inclusion of Sabra in the film since the unorthodox star’s casting was announced by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige at the 2022 D23 Expo event in Anaheim, California. American Muslims for Palestine launched a letter campaign against Disney and Marvel Studios soon after the “distasteful” announcement, complaining that the character served “a state that is recognized by the entire human rights community as an apartheid regime, guilty of ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Palestinian people.”

The irony of this, as noted at the link, is that Marvel chose to change the character to a Russian, a country that invaded the Ukraine for no cause except to conquer it. Israel in turn is simply attempting to destroy the anti-Semitic Gaza organization, Hamas, that did essentially the same as Russia, invade without cause to rape, torture, and murder men, women, children, and babies. It is also trying to rescue the innocent hostages this murderous organization kidnapped and still holds.

As noted here, Sabra has been a Jewish Israeli character in the Marvel pantheon since 1980.

They are erasing an Israeli Jew identity because controversy, and turning her into a Russian. So Courage! Much Principles! [emphasis in original]

Essentially, Marvel is just another corporate bootlicker to the DEI, critical race theory, queer agenda, and pro-Hamas crowd. It now touts these ideas openly and with enthusiasm in its movies and comic books, and anything that crowd opposes it quickly erases. And apparently, Jews and Israelis must be banned, because our new 21st century Nazis demand it.

Maybe Marvel — to better please its pro-Hamas overlords — should consider firing any Jews it might have in its work force. Or maybe it can have them wear yellow Star of David patches so that others will be able to identify them and avoid them in order to not get dirtied by them.

Or maybe you and I and everyone else should simply stop paying any money to see or buy anything Marvel produces, since by doing so we are apparently supporting a Nazi-loving anti-Semitic company.

[108garys]

Manny Sherman dialogue transcribed

I really enjoyed transcribing the little hope puritan dialogue a bit ago despite it being one heck of an undertaking and I've always wanted to do a similar thing on a much smaller scale(this time) so as an afternoon task I pulled up a video of the four Sherman tapes and typed out his on screen dialogue, it'll be good for writing him and better understanding his vocabulary and maybe some time around I'll do something a little more substantial like Randolph Hodgson's journal but that aside I feel Sherman's dialogue flows really well and does a great job with characterisation, can you believe there's barely more than a thousand words from him all up? Regardless I've tried to follow the in game captions on the video which can be a little hard at times due to white text on a grey background with the occasional white detail obscuring stuff but I believe I got it at least 99% accurate and beyond that I added in places in brackets that he laughed but not the uncaptioned sounds of him getting his ass kicked because I thought one added something and the other wouldn't(and here's the video I used)

(interrogation - tape 1)

Manny Sherman. Born January one. Nineteen fifty-six.

Come on, you already know all this. What do you want?

What's this?… Huh… You've been doing your research, haven't you Special Agent Munday?

What are my favorite television programs?

Describe my first pet.

What were your friends like as a child?

What is this?!

You taking a survey or you trying to learn something?

Would it kill you to be direct?

You wanted to know what inspired me? As if I wasn't an original?

Well… maybe there was one man I found myself a little fascinated by.

Henry. Howard. Holmes.

Why? Because he was numero uno.

America's first. The guy invented the trade. He set the benchmark, you know?

Learn your history, Munday. Read a book.

You think because I stuck a blade in some people and get off on it I'm not smart?

I, heh… 'allegedly'… killed 13 people before you got smart enough to find me…

__

(interrogation - tape 2)

…had to build my own little castle, just like Holmes did.

Most people like me do their business where their target lives. That's just asking to get caught.

Holmes had the right idea. It was all about the honeytrap.

You bring me some smokes? Like I asked?

Lucky Reds? Yes! These are like gold in here. Damn that's good. So yeah, the honey pot.

Holmes built a hotel about a mile from the World's Fair and CALLED it the World's Fair Hotel and bought ad space in the papers alongside ads for the expo.

Rubes from far and wide assumed it was the official hotel!

Ma and Pa Kettle take a train in from Nebraska, takes three days, they roll up into that joint ready to rest, get to their room… and whoops- what do ya know… Holmes had a gas pipe hidden under the bed and poisons them.

Or maybe he pulls a trap door on them.

Maybe he separates them and makes one watch through a window while he slits the other's throat.

That's the advantage of a honey pot: no shortage of targets.

That's why I picked all those houses north of the airport.

That whole neighborhood was scheduled for demolition and yet…

All those lovely realtor ladies must not have gotten the memo.

Call up as a contractor, tell them I'm flipping, have them meet me out there… and look at that… we're the only two people for miles.

The first couple times I'd wait for a plane to fly over, just to hide their screams, but…

after a while I realized they could scream as loud as they wanted.

No one was gonna hear a thing.

That's what I remember most.

Those screams.

You can try to understand why I am the way I am. You can forensic science up all the data you want.

But you'll never know… You'll never know, Munday… You'll never really know how it feels when you watch the fire burn out of somebody.

__

(interrogation - tape 3)

(laughter)

A whole carton this time? You trying to get on my good side or something?

Think I'll save them.

What? No questions? What's going on with you, Munday?

You seem different.

(laughter) I see that that glimmer in your eye, you little devil.

I can keep secrets, man… we all have them.

That prosecutor is trying to get numbers out of me. Know that?

Of course you know that. Numbers. They got Holmes for 27… but we know he was closer to 200, right?

Can you imagine that? I wish I'd had the time to try and beat that.

Sure they know about those nice realtor ladies… they got families after all.

But the numbers the D.A. is asking me about… I think he knows there's some people out there- rejects… misfits… the kind of people that when you see them coming you look the other way.

Does anyone notice if they go missing?

My father always told me to leave my mark on the world.

I never knew what he meant by that- not until I watched that first girl bleed out.

I call it art. That's my signature on society.

It's not murder, it's an aesthetic response to what this has world made me.

Ask people to list killers, and they'll drop five, ten on you before they can't think of any more.

Ask them to name the detectives that caught those killers- no one is going to say a damn thing.

No one knows them. No one cares.

No one makes movies about them.

No one puts their faces on t-shirts.

No one gives a shit.

(quiet chuckle)

I've left my mark on the world…

…have you?

__

(interrogation - tape 4)

You want to know what it means to be a killer?

You ever been to the art museum downtown?

They got this painting by a guy… forgot his name. Famous painter.

He did portraits of slaughtered cows hanging on hooks.

You take a normal person to a slaughterhouse and they will puke their guts out.

You make it into a painting and suddenly it's art.

There's no difference between the two. Not really.

Don't look at me like that. You know I'm right.

You get it. I know you get it.

You got to do something that matters. Make people feel something they've never felt before.

Shatter the illusion that any of us are really in control.

Think of the most profound thing you've ever done… the most beautiful thing you've ever created… and I promise you… it's nothing compared to watching the life bleed out of someone.

To see the fear in their eyes, to feel them pawing at you for release, to hear them pleading- begging…

That moment when someone realizes they are at their end…

That's when you feel it. That's true art.

That's what you have to be- an artist… a sculptor… an architect.

I see the gleam in your eye, Agent Munday, You're not fooling me.

Oh, look at you now, huh?

Am I going to be your first?

Well come on then- I'm right here.

This room is soundproof- you don't even have to wait for a plane to fly overhead.

There… There you are… I see you now.

Not bad… not bad at all.

Bare hands can feel good, huh?

But the blade makes for such a prettier picture.

You've got potential. Agent Munday…

If you truly want to be an artist.

__

@kassiekole22 @delurkr @ctrvpani @aydeenchan

@tinynightmarewoman @kindheartedgummybears @mybrainrotforreal (Know idea as ever with this character on who'd be interested in this but it was a good exercise at any rate)

[nekoannie-chan]

Draw

Title: Draw.

Fandom: Marvel, Captain America.

Ship: Pre-serum!Steve Rogers X Reader.

Word count: 464 words.

Square: D3 “Pre-serum.”

Rating: Teen.

Summary: Steve joined a drawing contest.

Major Tags: Fluff.

Additional tags: This is my entry to @sweetspicybingo, Sweetheart Bingo Card & square 2:

"Proud of u.”

You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.

This is my entry to @cabottombingo Captain Bottom Bingo round 2. CABB2024.

Links: Wattpad, Ao3, Spanish version.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission for my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @harrysthiccthighss @marvelatthisone @caplanbuckybarnes @sapphire-rogers @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club  @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammitt @kmc1989 @somegirlfrom

1940

Steve watched you attentively while you read them the book you had in your hands. Bucky seemed to be falling asleep. After a long time, you decided to take a day off. Anyway, nobody was going to look for them.

“I'm going to participate in the drawing contest," Steve said, suddenly interrupting you.

“What contest?" You questioned.

“Really? You said you weren't going to do it." Bucky was puzzled.

“Yeah, well, I think I have a drawing that's perfect for the occasion." Steve was beginning to sound nervous.

You and Bucky looked at each other blankly but didn't think much of it; you needed Steve to be more confident.

“Do you have something to do on Saturday?" Steve asked as soon as you opened the door.

“Does Bucky have any ideas for a triple date?"

Whenever Steve asked you that question, it was always because Bucky already had plans and you two were probably going to be bored.

“No, it's the contest expo," Steve replied.

“I'm busy going to the contest expo," you confirmed.

The day of the contest, you were trying to find the drawing Steve had made for the occasion, but all the time he somehow or other prevented you from seeing it, you began to suspect he was hiding it, so you were more curious about what he had drawn.

In the end, he managed to distract you with the muffins that were in the place, so much so that you didn't even pay that much attention to the rest of the participating drawings anymore.

You almost threw the muffin away when they announced that Steve's drawing had won first place; it just meant that the drawing was very good.

“I'm so proud of you, Steve," you congratulated him as you left the place. The next day, you would make him some cookies to celebrate.

“You should show him what you drew, Stevie; you spent the whole exhibition avoiding Y/N to see what you did," Bucky commented. You could notice a slight malice in the tone of his voice.

"No, I don't think that's necessary."

You snatched the drawing from him when you noticed that Steve was pressing it against his thin chest and unrolled it. You were dumbfounded to see that it was a portrait of you.

“I don't look like that," you whispered. The drawing was too beautiful.

“That's how I see you," Steve mumbled.

“I have things to do," Bucky said as he left. He always knew how you two felt about each other, so he only helped them a little.

“You can draw me as many times as you want if it will win you all the contests in the world," you commented.

“I will; I will win as many times as it takes."

[a-lwni]

all our instincts to poem thru the end of december, reflecting on the year past and dreaming into the new year, how social media collects them all in one place, remind me of that the animation expo i sold books at a few months ago. 100 young illustrators standing shoulder to shoulder across the street from the convention center with their easels and sketchbooks, capturing the building facade.

or that scene in white noise [book] about the most photographed barn in america. everyone driving 30 miles out to stand on the same hill and take photographs from the same angle, next to the guy selling postcards of it from that same spot.

“look at it jack, everybody’s taking pictures of taking pictures and no one can actually see the damn thing. every picture reinforcing the collective delusion.” [inaccurate paraphrasing from memory].

tho maybe i read it a lil less cynical now than then? not less cynical, but i read it differently anyways, or have more space for thinking maybe these are worthwhile activities still, on the

corner of reflection and connection, where i'm tryna live in 2025

my favorites are the in and out poems. i think i'll make one -

[cosplayinamerica]

Ger Tysk’s life has taken her all over the world, as a writer, professional sailor, graphic designer, and photographer. Though she’s accomplished so many things, one particular achievement that first drew her to our attention was the release of her cosplay photography book ‘Breaking All the Rules: Cosplay and the Art of Self-Expression’ in 2013. In 2011-2013, Tysk visited 43 different states, including Hawaii and Alaska, and shot with around 120 cosplayers to showcase the diverse diaspora of the cosplay community at that time.

Now ten years later Ejen and Tysk catch up, to discuss the 10th anniversary of her book, her life since then, and her thoughts on cosplay today.

When asked if Tysk recalled what inspired her to create the book, she considered and said “I don’t think there was a moment [I can point to]. Your book Cosplay in America was out, and that was kind of the time everyone was trying to do cosplay magazines. There were a bunch of cosplay magazine startups and people were doing little photo booklets. It was like the wild west of cosplay photography because cosplay photography was just starting to become a thing. I think you were the first person that thought “Oh, cosplay photography. I can actually use this to make a book.” And then everyone else thought I want to do that. So maybe I hopped on the bandwagon, but I also wanted to travel around and meet different cosplayers.

Tysk continued, “I was really interested in what made people cosplay. Because I was in my late 20s, early 30s, so I was old, right? I was an “old” cosplayer at that point. I thought wouldn’t it be cool to talk to younger cosplayers.”

Tysk remembered the landscape was changing quickly in the cosplay community, and that made it especially fascinating to talk to cosplayers at that time.

When asked what her favorite part of the photo book was, Tysk definitely emphasized the interviews.

Tysk said, “[The stories] were the most interesting part to me. The photos were cool, but I really wanted to know the person behind the photo. I didn’t specifically go for well-known cosplayers because people knew their stories already. They were everywhere. So I wanted say a random person from Iowa, who wasn’t going to probably become a professional cosplayer, had a day job, and was just doing it. And I’d ask, “Why are you doing this?” It was really interesting.

Tysk’s goal to seek out underrepresented cosplayers across the country led her to really focus on travel as a key component of her book’s success.

Tysk noted, “I was trying to go to conventions in the middle of the country that [weren’t as popular or crowded]. Everyone goes to Anime Expo. Everyone on the east coast goes Anime Boston, Otakon, or KamiCon which have just become big. Everyone was like, “We have to go,” but I’d go to AnimeIowa.

Tysk relied on crowdfunding to help get the book published, and to cover expenses, and she learned a lot in the process that helped with future projects.

Tysk commented, “I did two [fundraising campaigns] on IndieGoGo. I learned a lot. The first one I asked for way too much money for not a lot of stuff. I didn’t articulate my vision well and what was going to happen and what people were going to get. So I didn’t meet my goal, but the good thing about IndieGoGo is that you don’t have to meet your goals to get the money. So I got that money and I did a second one where I pared down the amount, and laid out my concrete asks. I said ‘I need money to go to these particular conventions because I want to get cosplayers from these particular regions.’ That was much more successful. That led me to a second book that I did, which is nothing to do with cosplay, but was also a photo book, and I did a KickStarter for that. Because of what I had learned on these two crowdfunding campaigns for this first book, I was able to do a KickStarter that was successful.”

After her campaign’s success she began to travel to capture photos for the book. She met so many cosplayers in the community, with one meeting standing apart for her in her memory.

Since her time working on the book, Tysk herself has stepped away from the life of cosplay more and more, as she’s taken up other pursuits.

Tysk said, “I don’t know if I consider myself a cosplayer these days. Some people you talk to they’re like ‘Once you are a cosplayer you can always just come back. It doesn’t matter’. I suppose that’s true. And I don’t have any desire to quit cosplaying forever. If one of my friends really convinces me to go to a convention for a day pass I’ll do something. I mostly quit cosplaying because I started sailing full time. So I was out on a boat for like 9 months out of the year and that really kind of puts a damper on your con going, so I just couldn’t do it.”

Tysk laughs, “I did think about it, but on a lot of the boats there’s no showers and no mirrors and you know it’s not really a great place to wear costumes.”

Though she hasn’t cosplayed in sometimes, she still thinks fondly of her times at cons and in cosplay.

Tysk remarked, “Every so often someone will tag me in a flashback Friday, and they post Ger took this photo. And I was like, ‘Oh, that was a really great costume!’ And then I remember all the fun we had at that con, and how stressed out I was because I was carrying all my light stands around the convention. And I used to cosplay and do photography at the same time, which was hilarious. There was a point that someone had a photo of me once when I was in my Sakura costume from Naruto and I was doing a photo shoot of this other cosplayer and I’m down in heels with my wig and I’m trying to take a photo. It was a little ridiculous. But because I was a cosplay  photographer and I was a cosplayer I didn’t want to miss out on the con just because I had booked some photo shoots.”

We return to the topic of her book’s anniversary, and Tysk remarks about how she’s not alone in her separation from cosplay and the cosplay community, as she sees some friends in her generation and many people she interviewed have themselves stopped cosplaying.

Tysk remarked, “It’s funny because you go through the interviews in the book and one of my questions was ‘Do you think you’ll be cosplaying ten years from now?’ I would say 99% of them were like of course, and most of them don’t cosplay anymore.”

Tysk has not attended an anime convention since 2015, and she has wondered since if cosplay has changed so much that it’s harder to really become a part of the scene as it once was.

Tysk said, “When I made the book, I thought ‘I don’t see why cosplayers wouldn’t cosplay 10 years from now. It’s an accessible hobby.’ Then I think about it, and is it still an accessible hobby? Because the bar is so high now. You go on Instagram or TikTok or Facebook or OnlyFans and you see all these people in their amazing costumes with professional photography. And it’s like, do I have to look like this? Do I have to wear these costumes? Do I have to be on the latest trends of the latest shows? Do I have to have an OnlyFans? Do I have to be a professional? Is the goal to be a professional cosplayer? Do I have to win awards? Because that’s what social media has been telling these kids.”

Tysk then clarified though it’s perhaps more complex, “I’m not going to say it’s good or bad. It’s just evolved. Cosplay is an art form which I still firmly believe in. Art evolves and changes and who am I to say it’s not art or it’s art or whatever. There’s just a lot more options from back then. I think it’s great because a lot of people who are trying to get into cosplay have a bigger platform to get into it. There’s also a lot more shows and games to choose from. Back then everyone was cosplaying the same eight anime that you could find because you were getting [the same few] VHS tapes. I think it’s pretty incredible that you can make a career out of cosplay. That’s awesome! If people are doing this and they’re good at it and they’re making money and they can support themselves by cosplaying, no matter whether it’s companies hiring you, having an OnlyFans, or a million subscribers, good for you. I think the Internet has been really awesome for that.

When I expressed my own uncertainty at how fandom and cosplay has evolved, Tysk said, “I agree with you. I have mixed feelings about this whole change, but I always think about Marty when I interviewed him. He said ‘A lot of people in my generation hate it when people are like ‘Oh cosplay!’, and he’d say you know it is changing and I just think it’s really awesome that younger people are getting into it.’ So I try and remember his words of wisdom because he was a really smart man.’

Now with books, websites, blogs, and social media sites everywhere all about cosplay and fandom, I wondered what Tysk thought might be remembered in the years to come?

“The Internet is like word vomit. You know everyone has something to say and everyone has an opinion. What is actually important and what are people going to remember? I don’t want to say that people who wrote those fan zines from the 60s were the only important people because maybe they were just the people who had access to a publishing studio or a printer or whatever. But in ten years when people look back on cosplay what are they going to remember? And then ten years and then ten years [after that?]”

[tamapalace]

Bandai Namco US is Looking for Licensing Partner for Lifestyle Consumer Products

Have you been dreaming of Tamagotchi merchandise? Well that could very well be on the horizon soon! The Toy Book reports that Bandai Namco is seeking to expand the Tamagotchi brand into lifestyle consumer products. These products would be geared toward the millennial market, allowing fans to engage with Tamagotchi across new categories including apparel, accessories, stationery, food, and more!

“Tamagotchi fans are always looking for new ways to personalize their experience and express their fandom,” says Tara Badie, Senior Director Brand Strategy, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America. “The elevated-grade lifestyle line we are creating will allow the Tamagotchi community to celebrate the much-loved brand on a whole new level.” 

To secure the right licensing partner, Bandai Namco is attending the Licensing Expo at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from June 13th, 2023 through June 15th, 2023. Bandai Namco will be at booth F170 at the Licensing Expo.

This is big news! We’ve been craving more Tamagotchi merchandise. There have been several licensed products over the years that have been available in Japan that leave us drooling! We’re really hoping that Bandai Namco is able to secure a partner soon to get merchandise on the shelves as quickly as possible. What Tamagotchi merchandise would you buy?

[brookston]

Holidays 8.22

Holidays

America’s Cup Day

Baltic Unity Day (Latvia)

Be An Angel Day

Chuck Brown Day

Dia do Folclore (Folklore Day; Brazil)

Exercise Day

Feast of the Queenship of Mary

Flag Day (Russia)

Folklore Day (Brazil)

Fortuna Asteroid Day

International Apostasy Day

International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief (UN)

International Museum Meme Day

International Tongue Twister Day

Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance Day (Ukraine)

Liquid Soap Day

Loch Ness Monster Day

Madras Day (India)

Miriam Asteroid Day

National Firefighters Day (Mexico)

National Pamela Day

National Punctuation Day

National Rainbow Baby Day

National Surgical Oncologist Day

National Tooth Fairy Day (also 2.28)

Never Bean Better Day

Pocketphone Day

Rumpleskunkskin’s Wedding (Goblin celebration)

Salmon Day (French Republic)

Southern Hemisphere Hoodie-Hoo Day

Take Your Cat to the Vet Day

Timothy Herb Day

Tunamint (Natural Chimneys, Virginia)

World Folklore Day

World Rainbow Baby Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Burgers to Beat MS Day (Canada)

Eat a Peach Day

National Bao Day

National Pecan Torte Day

World Jollof Rice Day

World Plant Milk Day

Independence & Related Days

Arstotzkan Union (Declared, 2019) [unrecognized]

Korea (Annexed by Japan; 1910)

New Mexico (Annexed by US; 1846)

Sierra Leone (Founded as Slave Asylum; UK; 1788)

Wakamawabla (Declared, 2016) [unrecognized]

4th Thursday in August

California Public Radio Day (California) [4th Thursday]

National Bra Fitting Day [4th Thursday]

National Burger Day (a.k.a. Mr. Hyde National Burger Day; UK) [Thursday before August bank holiday]

Thinking Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thuringer Thursday [4th Thursday of Each Month]

Festivals Beginning August 22, 2024

Acton Fair (Acton, Maine) [thru 8.25]

Brewed In Minnesota Exhibit (Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota) [thru 9.2]

Buttermilk Days Festival (Bardstown, Kentucky) [thru 8.24]

Evergreen State Fair (Monroe, Washington) [thru 9.2]

Fan Expo Canada (Toronto, Ontario) [thru 8.25]

Gillespie County Fair (Fredericksburg, Texas) [thru 8.25]

Gueydan Duck Festival (Gueydan, Louisiana) [thru 8.25]

Loyal CornFest (Loyal, Wisconsin) [thru 8.25]

Maryland State Fair (Timonium, Maryland) [thru 9.8]

Minnesota State Fair (Falcon Heights, Minnesota) [thru 9.2]

Piscataquis Valley Fair (Dover-Foxcroft, Maine) [thru 8.25]

Swiss Wine Festival (Vevay, Indiana) [thru 8.25]

A Taste of New England (Stowe, Vermont) [thru 8.25]

Taste of Tennis (New York, New York)

Winterville Watermelon Festival (Winterville, North Carolina) [thru 8.25]

Feast Days

Andrew of Fiesole (Christian; Saint)

Annie Proulx (Writerism)

Archibald Willard (Artology)

Dorothy Parker (Writerism)

Fabrizio (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Hathor and Min (Ancient Egypt)

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Roman Catholic)

Feast of the Queenship of Mary

George Herriman (Artology)

Guinefort (Christian; Saint)

Harrison (Positivist; Saint)

Hippolytus (Christian; Saint)

Ignatius Reilly Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Jacques Lipchitz (Artology)

Janmashtami (Festival celebrating birth of Krishna; India)

Kelly Freas (Artology)

Muin (Blackberry; Celtic Book of Days)

Nu Kea Day (Chinese Healing Goddess; Everyday Wicca)

Order of the Rosy Cross Foundation Day

Philibert (Christian; Saint)

Queenship of Mary (Christian; Saint)

Ray Bradbury (Writerism)

Roberto Aizenberg (Artology)

Rumpleskunkskin’s Wedding (Goblin Celebration; Shamanism)

Sigfrid (Christian; Saint)

Symphorian (Christian; Saint)

Tarantula Teasing Day (Pastafarian)

Timotheus (Christian; Saint)

Timothy, Hippolytus & Symphorian (Christian; Martyrs)

Virgo zodiac sign begins (Pagan)

The Weatherberries (Muppetism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Alice in the Big League (Disney Cartoon; 1927)

And Now For Something Completely Different (Film; 1972)

Another One Bites the Dust, by Queen (Song; 1980)

Bimbo’s Express (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1931)

Blitz Wolf (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1942)

Bojack Horseman (Animated TV Series; 2014)

Bootle Beetle (Disney Cartoon; 1947)

Clown on the Farm (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1957)

The Cocktail Party, by T.S. Eliot (Play; 1949)

Dancing in the Streets, recorded by Martha and the Vandellas (Song; 1966)

Ghosts, by Henrik Ibsen (Play; 1883)

G.I. Jane (Film; 1997)

Hamlet 2 (Film; 2008)

High Plains Drifter (Film; 1973)

The House Bunny (Film; 2008)

The Ice Carnival (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1941)

If I Stay (Film; 2014)

Joy in the Morning, by P.G. Wodehouse (Novel; 1947) [Jeeves #8]

Jumpin’ at the Woodside, recorded by Count Basie (Song; 1938)

The Mild West (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1947)

Top-pop-a-da, Two Bass Hit and Ow!, recorded by Dizzy Gillespie (Song; 1947)

Plop Goes the Weasel (WB LT Cartoon; 1953)

Porky’s Poultry Plant (WB LT Cartoon; 1936)

The Saint, by Burt Barer (Film Novelization; 1997) [Saint #51]

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (Film; 2014)

The Skeleton Dance (Silly Symphonies Disney Cartoon; 1929)

Stand By Me (Film; 1986)

Stormy Seas (Ub Iwerks MGM Cartoon; 1932)

Toby Tortoise Returns (Silly Symphonies Disney Cartoon; 1936)

Travelaffs (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1958)

Today’s Name Days

Regina, Siegfried (Austria)

Marija, Regina, Vladislava (Croatia)

Bohuslav (Czech Republic)

Symphorian (Denmark)

Iivo, Ivalo, Ivar, Ivari, Ivo (Estonia)

Iivari, Iivo (Finland)

Fabrice (France)

Maria Regina, Regina, Sigfried (Germany)

Menyhért, Mirjam (Hungary)

Fabrizio, Maria, Regina (Italy)

Nadīna, Rudīte (Latvia)

Ipolitas, Karijotas, Rimantė, Sigitas, Zygfridas (Lithuania)

Harriet, Harry (Norway)

Cezary, Dalegor, Fabrycjan, Fabrycy, Hipolit, Hipolita, Maria, Namysław, Oswald, Oswalda, Tymoteusz, Zygfryd (Poland)

Tichomír (Slovakia)

María, Timoteo (Spain)

Henrietta, Henrika (Sweden)

Florence, Florent (Ukraine)

Hayden, Hazel, Heath, Heather, Hector (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 235 of 2024; 131 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of Week 34 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Coll (Hazel) [Day 20 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Ren-Shen), Day 19 (Wu-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 18 Av 5784

Islamic: 16 Safar 1446

J Cal: 25 Purple; Foursday [25 of 30]

Julian: 9 August 2024

Moon: 88%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 10 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Harrison]

Runic Half Month: As (Gods) [Day 15 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 64 of 94)

Week: 3rd Full Week of August

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 1 of 32)

Calendar Changes

Virgo (The Virgin) begins [Zodiac Sign 6; thru 9.22]

[theultimatefan]

Slott, Ottley, Platt, Mann Headline Talented Comics Creators Attending FAN EXPO New Orleans

An incredible array of talented comics artists and writers, spanning more than a half century of work and encompassing dozens of the most popular franchises in the history of the medium through the present will be on hand as FAN EXPO New Orleans today announced the Artist Alley headliners for the convention, set for January 5-7 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Among the superstar writers and artists are Dan Slott (“Spider-Man,” “Spider-Boy”), Ryan Ottley (“Invincible,” “Spider-Man”), Stephen Platt (“Moon Knight,” “Wolverine”), Clay Mann (“Batman/Catwoman,” “Superman”), Brian Azzarello (“Get Joker,” “Wonder Woman”), Tom Grummett (“Superboy,” “The Amazing Spider-Man"), Michael Golden (“Fantastic Four,” “X-Men”), Tony Harris (“Starman,” “JSA”), Clinton Hobart (Disney licensed artist), Tim Jacobus (“Goosebumps"), Jae Lee (“Seven Sons,” “Stephen King’s Dark Tower”), Carl Potts (“Alien Legion,” “The Punisher”) and Todd W. Langen (“TMNT,” “The Wonder Years”).

Just about every franchise imaginable will be well represented at FAN EXPO New Orleans, and comic fans will revel in meeting the creators who have made them possible. Q&A’s, interactive demonstration sessions, autographs, commission opportunities and more make the experience a can’t-miss for comic lovers.

Other notables in the deep field of creators include Heather Antos (IDW Publishing), John Delaney (“Justice League Adventures,” “Futurama”), Gigi Dutreix (“Sonic the Hedgehog”), Guy Gilchrist (“The Muppets,” “Nancy”), Claudia Gray (“Star Wars,” “House of El”), Gavin Guidry (“Superman ‘78: The Metal Curtain”), Travis Hymel (“TMNT Adventures,” “Trailer Park Boys”), Terry Kavanagh (Marvel Comics editor, writer), Jackson Lanzing (“Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Captain America”), Tim Lattie (“TMNT Adventures”), Cary Nord (“Wonder Woman,” “Conan”), Stephanie Phillips (“Rogue and Gambit,” “Harley Quinn”), Joshua “Sway” Swaby (“Catwoman”), and Joe Wos (“Wostoons,” “Cartoon Academy”). Dozens of others, many from the New Orleans area, will also populate Artist Alley, with the full list available at https://fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans/comic-creators/.

The FAN EXPO New Orleans comics lineup bolsters an event whose celebrity field is also first-rate. Lord of the Rings “Four Hobbits” Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan, The Terminator franchise cast members Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Robert Patrick and Edward Furlong, “Charmed” duo of Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan, "Daredevil" tandem of Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio, “Star Trek” standouts Sonequa Martin-Green (“Star Trek: Discovery”), Michelle Hurd (“Star Trek: Picard”) and Jonathan Frakes (“Star Trek: The Next Generation,” among others), Jon Bernthal (“The Punisher,” “The Walking Dead”), Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, “Avengers: Infinity War”), Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”), Danny Trejo (Machete, The Book of Boba Fett) and Katee Sackhoff (Star Wars’ “The Mandalorian”) are among the many headliners.

FAN EXPO New Orleans features the biggest and best in pop culture: movies, TV, music, artists, writers, exhibitors, cosplay, with three full days of themed programming to satisfy every fandom.

Additional guests, exhibitors and programming for this major comics, sci-fi, horror, literary, anime and gaming convention will be announced closer to the event. New Orleans is the first event on the 2024 FAN EXPO HQ calendar; the full schedule is available at fanexpohq.com/home/events/.

[howdydarling]

MANNY SHERMAN TAPES

TAPE ONE

[Bored] Manny Sherman. Born January one. Nineteen fifty-six. Come on, you know all this. What do you want?

What’s this?

Huh… You’ve been doing your research, haven’t you Special Agent Munday?

What are my favorite television programs? Describe my first *pet?* [Mocking] What were your friends like as a child? [Annoyed] What is this?!

You taking a survey, or you trying to learn something?

Would it kill you to be direct?

You wanted to know what inspired me? As if *I* wasn’t an original?

Well…maybe there was one man I found myself a little fascinated by.

Henry. Howard. Holmes.

*Why?* Because he was numero uno.

America’s *first.* The guy invented the trade. He set the benchmark, you know?

Learn your history, Munday. Read a book.

You think because I stuck a blade in some people and get off on it, I’m not smart?

I, heh… ‘allegedly’…killed 13 people before you got smart enough to find me…

END TAPE

TAPE TWO

…had to build my own little castle, just like Holmes did.

Most people like me do their business where their target lives. That’s just *asking* to get caught.

Holmes had the right idea. It’s all about the honeytrap.

You bring me some smokes? Like I asked? *Lucky Reds.*

*Yes!* These are like *gold* in here.

[Sherman lights a cigarette and inhales] *Damn,* that’s good.

So yeah. The honeypot.

Holmes built a hotel about a mile from the World’s Fair and CALLED it the World’s Fair Hotel, and bought ad space in the papers alongside ads for the expo. Rubes from far and wide assumed it was the official hotel!

Ma and Pa Kettle take a train in from *Nebraska*, takes three days, they roll up into that joint ready to rest, get to their room…and *whoops*—what do ya know…Holmes had a gas pipe hidden under the bed and poisons them.

Or maybe he pulls a trap door on them.

Maybe he separates them and makes one watch through a window while he slits the other’s throat.

That’s the advantage of a honeypot: no shortage of targets. Heh…

That’s why I picked all those houses north of the airport. That whole neighborhood was scheduled for demolition, and yet…all those lovely realtor ladies must not have gotten the memo.

Call up as a contractor, tell them I’m flipping, have them meet me out there…and look at that…we’re the only two people for miles.

The first couple times, I’d wait for a plane to fly over, just to hide their screams, but…after a while I realized, they could scream as loud as they wanted. No one was gonna hear a thing.

That’s what I remember most. Those *screams.*

You can try to understand why I am the way I am. You can forensic science up all the data you want. But you’ll never know…

You’ll never know, Munday…

You’ll never really know how it feels when you watch the fire *burn* out of somebody.

END TAPE

TAPE THREE

[Sherman laughing] A whole carton this time? You trying to get on my good side or something?

Yeah, I uh…I think I’ll save them.

What? No questions? What’s going on with you, Munday?

You seem different.

Oh…[Sherman laughing] I see that glimmer in your eye, you little devil.

I can keep secrets, man…we all have them.

That prosecutor is trying to get numbers out of me. Know that?

Of *course* you know that. *Numbers.*

They got Holmes for 27…but we know he was closer to 200, right?

Can you imagine that? I wish I’d had the time to try and beat that.

Sure, they know about those nice realtor ladies…they got families, after all.

But the numbers the D.A. is asking me about…I think he knows there’s some people out there—rejects…misfits…the kind of people that when you see them coming, you look the other way. Does anyone notice if they go missing?

My father always told me to leave my mark on the world.

I never know what he meant by that — not until I watched that first girl bleed out.

*I* call it *art.* That’s my signature on society.

It’s not murder, it’s an aesthetic response to what this world has made me.

Ask people to list serial killers, and they’ll drop five, ten on you before they can’t think of any more.

Ask them to name the detectives that caught those killers — no one is going to say a damn thing. No one knows. No one *cares.*

No one makes movies about *them.*

No one puts their faces on t-shirts.

No one gives a shit.

[Sherman laughing]

[Sherman sighs, pleased] I’ve left my mark on the world…have *you?*

END TAPE

TAPE FOUR

You want to know what it means to be a killer? You ever been to the art museum downtown?

They got this painting by a guy…I forget his name. Famous painter.

He did portraits of slaughtered cows hanging on hooks.

You take a normal person to a slaughterhouse and they will puke their guts out.

You make it into a painting, and suddenly it’s *art.*

There’s no difference between the two. [Sherman grunts] Not really.

Don’t look at me like that. You know I’m right.

You get it. I *know* you get it.

You got to do something that matters. Make people feel something they’ve never felt before.

Shatter the illusion that any of us are really in control.

Think of the most profound thing you’ve ever done…the most beautiful thing you’ve ever created…and I promise you…it’s *nothing* compared to watching the life bleed out of someone.

To see the fear in their eyes, to feel them pawing at you for release, to hear them pleading — *begging*…

That *moment*, when someone realizes they are at their end…that’s when you *feel* it. That’s true art.

That’s what you have to be — an artist…a sculptor…an architect.

[Sherman exhales smoke] I see the gleam in your eye, Agent Munday. You’re not fooling me.

[Sound of a chair scraping, Hector exclaiming as he punches Sherman]

Oh, look at you now, huh?!

[Hector breathing heavily in background]

Am I going to be your first?

[Sherman yelling] Well come on then — I’m right here! This room is soundproof — you don’t even have to wait for a plane to fly overhead.

[Hector exclaiming, sounds of a struggle, Sherman grunts and groans in pain, more aggressive sounds of Hector beating Sherman]

[Sherman breathing heavily] There…there you are…I see you now.

[Hector punches him again]

Not bad…not bad at all. Bare hands can feel good, huh?

But the blade makes for such a prettier picture.

[Sherman panting quietly] You’ve got potential, Agent Munday…if you truly want to be an artist.

END TAPE

[wordforwordbiblecomic]

July Newsletter: Discounts, new Book of Judges and more

We’ve got news on the new edition of Judges, discounts, blogs and more this month

New Judges with more pages!

In September, we will be officially releasing the new version of The Book of Judges. This new edition features the NIV translation but also even more pages! Now, I know what you’re thinking but we didn’t add anything to the biblical text, we spread the existing panels over more pages making it so the pages are not so cramped and the illustrations are larger, we also lightened up the images as our first edition was very dark.

In this example below, the top left page is the original page, which becomes three pages in the new edition including two new panels and verse reference numbers in the corners.

If you can’t wait until September you can preorder it via the UK online shop and pay postage to your location and you’ll receive it before the official release. (Note: Kickstarter Backers of Song of Songs who added Judges will get this new version)

The new Judges graphic novel was showcased at the American Library Association Convention of over 10,000 librarians last month and this month will be at the Christian Product Expo in Kentucky.

Discount!

If you are ordering books direct from us (via the UK online shop), you can now get a discount when you spend £50+ you’ll get 25% off! Just enter the discount code FIFTYQUIDPLUS at checkout. Includes books, t-shirts and digital items!

(T&Cs: Offer works on direct purchases from the UK, not available on US and Canada domestic delivery which is handled by our distributors).

Patreon Hangout

On Saturday 15th July, we’ll have one of our Patreon Hangouts, a Zoom call between myself, some of the team and our patrons will be there to chat, answer questions and connect. The talk will likely be around the new title The Book of Acts which has started production but won’t be Kickstarted until next year. To get the inside scoop, see pages before anyone else and join us at the hangout, become a patron today:

The Gathering

We had a great time at the Gathering in June despite nearly melting in the sun. I did some sword training and we saw dozens of men make a first-time commitment or recommitment to Christ on the weekend. Welcome those that joined the newsletter at the event.

Blogs

I wrote a couple of blogs on the research I’ve been doing recently, I showed the top one to Dr. Mark Woolmer (our history consultant and history lecturer) and he said he’d have given me a First for the essay if it had been submitted in his class which made me happy

In this blog, I explore the question of whether the Golden Calf of Exodus was likely a statue of an Apis Bull?

https://www.wordforwordbiblecomic.com/blog/was-the-golden-calf-an-apis-bull

In this blog, I ask if Moses was tall.

https://www.wordforwordbiblecomic.com/blog/wasmosestall

Kickstarter Update

The creation of the Song of Songs is complete and the digital copies will be sent out to you very soon. They've had their first round of proofreading and corrections are being added. Once the second round of proofreading is complete will be sending it out, before the end of this month.

They'll also be heading to the printers in the next month or so in good time for delivery to backers by the end of November (or before). They will be released in shops in March 2024.

Prayer

Books in libraries: As you saw above our book was featured at the ALA con. Please pray with us that libraries really discover the benefits of the Word for Word Bible Comic and decide to stock them all across the USA. Spanish editions: We have some potential leads to getting distribution of our Spanish editions in Latin America and Europe. Please pray we can get these books into the hands of Spanish speakers very soon!

Technical issue: We have had some trouble with the ISBN registration on Amazon and other places for the new books. Some progress has been made since last time but please pray this is miraculously sorted out very soon so it does not hamper sales.