#Book Expo America

[marcelduriez]

2016 Book Expo America (BEA)

“A delightful and captivating storybook for children.” The book was featured in the 2016 Book Expo America (BEA), held last May 11 to 13 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Around the year 2011 Studied for transformants credits at Mount Aloysius College and studied in writings of children’s literature and elementary education. English, Phycology, Health, Computers, Parchments Mount Aloysius Learning Committee. Around 2011 Penn Foster college attended Transfers. Around 2012 studied at Art Instruction Schools, better known to many as Art Instruction, Inc., which is a home study correspondence course providing training in cartooning and illustration. The company is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Marcel Ray Duriez graduated with 2 diplomas and outstanding merits. Diploma basic in Art studies, Diploma Fundamentals of Art, Merits from ‘The Art Instruction Schools’ Remarkable Achievements Lessons 9–27,) Recognition Creative Art Effort 2012 and 2016. Then given Charles M. Schulz Achievements Transcripts credits 24 Fundamentals of Art Diploma...

Around 2013 I compelled BA in Graphic Design Artworks/ Interior Design and Media Arts Minor in CCD Specialization. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh BA is now a specialized Artist, with over 15 years of background, a member of the Graphic Design Associate Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online, GPA 3.90 ID 1121357018, and Dean’s list. Parchments and honor cords Kappa Pi of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division Marcel Ray Duriez National Technical Honor Society: NTHS of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division Marcel Ray Duriez, Deans List around the time of 2013. An accomplished author and illustrator freelance writer and self-editor with around 10 years of experience in composition manufacturing, publishing, and freelancing. Undergrad Transferred to SNHU 2020, BA Graphic Design and Media Arts / BA Creative Writings, and Minor CCD Specialization. /English / Creative Writing Anticipated 2020 Concentration Production Artist, Graphic Designer.

[dcxdpdabbles]

DCxDP Fic idea: What's the Rule again?

It starts with Wes Weston accidentally banishing Danny from his haunt. He didn't mean to, and he panicked along side Sam and Tucker when Danny was effectively evicted Danny from Amity Park.

See the four have become tight-knited friends every since the trio started talking to Wes back during the summer between freshman and sophomore year.

During that time, Wes's other friends had drifted apart once Wes' attention moved from basketball to ghosts- specifically Phantom. Danny had felt at fault that he was left a loner because of his secret identity and had invited Wes to sit with them at the Nasty Burger the second week of Summer break.

Wes was suprise to find out that Sam, Tucker and Danny were much better friends then the ones he hanged out with since third grade. He was used to people only speaking to him in class or the few times they hang out on breaks but the trio would message him about every single thought or meme they had. They could laugh togther until tears fell from thier eyes and they couldn't breath over the silliest of topics.

Wes also found out that the trio was supportive of all their interests. Sure, his old teammates and friends didn't make fun of him for crocheting or painting, but they wouldn't accompany him to an art market. Nor would they actually wear the scarves and gloves he made them.

They sure as hell didn't volunteer to help him run a booth to sell his own crocheting pieces after encouraging him to get a table. And they wouldn't cheer loudly when he made his first sale.

Wes also wouldn't have happily gone with them to an observatory, a Dark Poem Night, or even a tech expo. But he found that he had the time of his life watching Danny, Sam, and Tucker nerd out at the events much as much as he did at his own.

He also never had anyone he knew would be down to do him favors or even take notes for him when he was out sick.

So he became close friends with them, passing sophomore year with far more enjoyment than any other grade, then Junior year came and went just as fast and as fun. It was their last summer as high school students, so Wes wanted to do as many new activities as the four could together before Senior year.

Who knew what would happen to their little group after graduation? He wants to think they would all remain best friends but he's heard so many stories of people drifting apart that Wes was afraid of risking it.

That's why he researched urban myths and legends around the world regarding ghosts- more then any research paper he's ever done- and jokingly asked Danny to partake in some of them as a halfa.

They joked and laughed- throwing salt in a circle around Danny, lighting a candle for him to use Morse code with- but it wasn't until Wes got to the one where he tried smoking Danny out with a banishing spell he found in an old book that things turned from funny to horrible.

It worked

Danny was flung from his haunt- effectively banishing him from the area he was haunting. Dann just happens to be haunting all of Amity Park, so he ends up on the outskirts of town, unable to cross the invisible line.

Wes practically choked on his tears as he apologized for Danny not being able to cross back in, but the other three quickly informed him that they, too, took part in it, and it was no one's fault. Danny just had to find a way to reverse the banishing spell.

The only problem was that the book pages Wes found online were only on the banish spell itself and nothing else. He couldn't even find the whole book since it belonged in a private family library.

The family library was located in the most dangerous city in America. Gotham.

The library also belongs to a very wealthy family that had recently all but perished except for their lone heir- Timothy Drake.

Now Wes attempted to contact Timothy Drake in hopes of having the other teenager send him copies of the book, but he never got a reply. He thinks it was due to not explaining why he needed the book and ending up sounding like a bot or a scam.

With each passing day of Drake not responding Danny's situation grew worse. Jazz luckily covered for them, claiming to have signed Danny up for some camp so his parents wouldn't think he was missing.

That would only work until school started, which was a time limit that was weighing on all their shoulders as they tried to find a counterspell.

Jazz, Tucker, Sam, and Wes each took turns driving out of town to bring him food and a change of clothes so Danny could figure out his situation, having to do it in shifts to not alert any of their parents.

However, without his haunt to pick up natural exoplasm, Danny was growing weaker and weaker by the day, looking half stave out in the little motel room Sam rented for him as they tried to get him back into the town.

Danny needed to either make his way back to his haunt or go somewhere that was so infected with ectoplasm that it actually felt cursed.

Tucker found the solution to all their problems with a few hacking skills that he learned to fight off Technus' invasive attempts of his personal tech.

"A full ride to Gotham Academy?" Wes' mom gasped staring at the acceptance letter her son eagerly showed her. "With a promised full ride to any university in America?!"

"Yeah, Tucker, Sam, Danny, and I all got accepted for our work on clean energy generators. We sent it in for the Wayne scholarship, and we won! The only thing is that it's a requirement to graduate from high school in Gotham. I have to go!" Wes gasped, eyeing both his dad's and Kyle's doubtful frowns. He couldn't afford for them to say no when Tucker had worked so hard to bump them up as Winners. Bruce Wayne's computer security is no joke. "This is the once in a life time opportunity!"

"But where would you live?" His dad asks, shaking the letter. "Wes, this is clear across states, and it only covers school expenses."

"Sam's parents bought her a house. She's going to rent us some of the extra rooms." It was a lie; her parents would never let four boys- especially these boys- rent from their daughter. She told them that the school provided co-dorm rooms "I can get a job at the local library- I already sent them my resume and got a call for a interview."

"What will you do for food?" Kyle asks. "We both know you can't cook."

"I can't, but Danny does. He's amazing in the kitchen."

Here, his parents share a loaded look. "So you'll be living with the Fenton boy....."

"Well. Yeah? I already said that?" He returns, confused, and Kuule coughs to cover a laugh. Confused he stares at his older brother, who quirks a grin at him.

"Don't worry about it." Kyle laughs, but his wiggling eyebrows tell Wes he should worry a lot about it. He would inisit a little more to find out what Kyle knew, but he needed to convince his parents more.

Eventually, after five days of attempting, Wes got their permission and could tell his friends, who all shared the same results. The remainder of the summer is spent preparing for their move- finding the house, getting it furnished, packing their things, transferring schools- it's a lot, and he's never been so grateful for Sam's wealth.

She hires people to get it all done for her-including hiring a trailer to take their four cars-, so he only has to worry about his packing. The four meet up at the airport on the day they live, flying first class thanks to Sam's grandmother.

Tearful goodbyes and good luck from their families leave them all a bit down but they board the plane and take off without too much trouble.

While on the plane, Sam turns to the boys. "Does everyone remember the phases of the plan?"

"Phase one: Blend into Gotham until we find Timothy Drake" Tucker states, pushing up his glasses

"Phase two: Get Drake to invite us over to his house and find the book," Danny tacks on, tapping his foot on the ground.

"Phase three: Find all the pieces for the counterspell- usually scattered around the magical family's ancestral home- and get Danny home!" Wes shouts, raising a fist in the air.

Sam nods, looking satisfied. "And what are we not allowed to do? Danny?"

"Become a vigilante when my ectoplasm is on a limited intake" Danny grumbles, sinking into his chair. "Let it to the Bats and keep my head low."

"Good. Tucker?"

"I'm not allowed to hack into anything because it can gain the attention of the Bats or Mr.Wayne, and then we'll be on a wanted list" Tucker sighs "No matter how much fun it would be to battle it out with the legendary Oracle."

"That's right. I'm not allowed to go anywhere near Poison Ivy no matter how much I want to yell at her to go fix the coal riffs and cut down forests instead of wasting her powers on the stupid heist." Same all but bites, and then she turns her attention to Wes, who startles.

"Wes?"

"Wait, I have a rule?"

"Course, man," Tucker laughs. "We all have rules."

"But I'm not interesrted in anything in Gotham besides the Drake grimoire!"

"Wes," Danny says gently, his soft baby blue eyes making him a little hot under the collar as they stare into his soul. "You're not allowed to fall in love with any of the Bats."

Wes mind blanks, then reboots, "Excuse me!?"

"We know you had a crush on all of us here Wes and Val" Sam laughs when he turns wide eyes at her. "It's cute but you really shouldn't try for the Bats. They're the violent sort"

"What?!"

"Yeah, you have a type, and it's a hero or hero adjacent." Tucker shrugs "It's cool."

Wes can only gape at them, no matter how much he tries to convince them; otherwise, the three refuse to remove his rule. He is highly offended by it.

Yes, he's never really gone out with Team Phantom, just because when he joined the group, most of Danny's rouges were long gone leaving behind the tiny ones that he could handle on his own, but he wasn't into heroes!

And okay- maybe, maybe at one point or another he may have had slight crushes on his friends but they were quick and gone before the first school year together!

So the rule is utterly ridiculous!

At least, he thinks so until five days later when he's trying to find his way around the new neighborhood and gets caught up in a mugging. He could have quickly taken the mugger- humans had nothing on ghosts- but he attempted to talk the young adult out of it when Red Robin swooped in like a knight in shining armor.

He may have just stared at the hero's tight-skin outfit instead of letting the hero know that he could handle it, and he may have made a fool of himself when Red Robin asked if he was right.

"Yeah tots fine" He babbles. Ugh, who says tots?! He wants to stop talking but when Wes gets nervous he tends to just word vomit and he could hear himself doing it now. "You know who else is fine?"

Red Robbin raises a brow, likely knowing the pickup line. Cowering, Wes changes the answer in a panic. "Timothy Drake!"

Red Robin stills. "Come again?"

"Timothy Drake, a boy in my class! He's fine that you think he was part siren or something. You've seen him, right? I mean you have eyes!" He repeats with a squeal "I want to get into his private liberty!"

"Do you?" Red Robin tilts his head, a slight smirk forming on his mouth. "You should try flirting with him then. Maybe he can give you a tour."

"Oh, I want more than a tour!"

Why did he say that?!

At least the hero in front of him laughs until a shout has them both looking away.

Danny is running down the street screaming his name, thank the Ancients. When Wes turns around to wave at him, Red Robin vanishes without a sound or trace.

Like a ghost.

Oh no, that's hot.

"Danny, I broke the rule"

"For Ancient's sake, it hasn't even been a month."

[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."

[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

[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."

[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?

[stuckybingo]

Stucky Bingo Round-Up #13 (December 18th - January 1st)

Don’t forget to fill out the submission form to be a part of the round-ups and to get your bingo badges!

Stucky Bingo December 2022 Round Robin by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy, Politzania, froggo, jessybarnes, Sivan325, buckyismybicycle Square filled: Yori Nakajima, "Open wide", Winter, "I still don't know how to dance.", Huddling for Warmth, AU: Coffee Shop Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Christmas Fluff, Just all the fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Boys In Love, Steve Rogers being a dork Summary: It's December. The weather is cold. Time to reminisce with hot chocolate and dancing. Format: Round Robin

wish for a silent night by Froggo Square filled: B5 - AU: TV show/Movie/Book Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: christmas, strangers to lovers, post-break up Summary: Steve and Bucky meet on the way home to New York. Neither really wants to leave the other when the plane has landed. Neither really has any Christmas plans except for being raging workaholics. And, neither really wants to start the conversation about why that is when there's so many more exciting things to get up to together. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

I was alone, I took a ride (Chapter 30) by otp-holic Square filled: N5 - Stark Expo Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: slow burn, friends to lovers Summary: Steve finds out something unsettling. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

Eight Nights by bugsandcoffee Square filled: B3 - AU: Shrunkyclunks Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Punching nazis Major tags: Shrunkyclunks, Hanukkah Fluff, Getting Together, Jewish Steve Rogers, Jewish Bucky Barnes Summary: Steve meets Bucky and spends eight nights of Hanukkah with him. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

Lost and Found by leavinghope Square filled: I3 - 1940s Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: 1940s-AU, first kiss, love confessions, post Captain America: The First Avenger Summary: Steve Rogers aimed the Valkyrie at the ice, but then he heard a voice he never thought he’d hear again. “Bucky?” Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

Dashing Through the Snow by hanitrash Square filled: Adopted Square Dec - Kink: Hate Sex Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: A/B/O dynamics, Enemies to Lovers, snowed in, one bed, Alpha Bucky Barnes, War Veteran Bucky Barnes Summary: Steve hates Bucky. Bucky hates him, too, so that’s fine. But when they’re forced to work together and co-teach a class, that anger begins to fade as they slowly learn more about each other. A work trip gone wrong, though, forces them to become much closer than either one ever expected… Format: Long oneshot (over 5000 words)

I'll put his picture down and maybe get some sleep tonight by Girl Back There Square filled: G3 - AU: Shrinkyclinks Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: A/B/O Dynamics, Shrinkyclinks, Alpha Bucky, Omega Steve, Fake Marriage Summary: Steve thinks it is the dumbest plan on the planet when Bucky proposes they get married so Steve can have health insurance. ""We don’t tell anyone and no one is going to figure it out. We live together, I already go with you to most of your appointments. It will be fine. We get married, you get on my insurance, and get your heart surgery. When you graduate in the spring, Stark’ll hire you, and then you’ll have your own insurance. Besides, I’m deploying for a year in September. We can get a divorce when I get back. No one ‘ll be the wiser. Let me take care of you in this way.” And Steve says yes. Not for the insurance, but because he has been in love with Bucky since before he knew what that meant. Format: Long oneshot (over 5000 words)

Infinity by Andrea1717 Square filled: I4 - 2023 Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Fluff , New Year's kiss, Post Captain America:The Winter Soldier Summary: Bucky and Steve spend a very special new year's eve together. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

it's been a long lonely december by Galks Square filled: O4 - AU : Shrunkyclunks Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Mention of Past Injuries Major tags: Shrunkyclunks, Speed Dating, Bottom Steve Rogers, Top Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro Summary: The second Bucky sits down, he’s overcome with the need to bolt at the same time as the want to never leave this chair if it means he gets to look at the man across from him. The man – the big, blond, beautiful man – is looking at him a little timidly through his eyelashes, his head angled down slightly. It looks way more adorable than it should. “I’m Bucky.” If someone asked him how he managed to get those two words out without stumbling all over his words, he wouldn’t know how to explain it. “Steve,” the other man says, reaching across the table with one big hand, offering it to Bucky to shake. That too, is way more endearing than it has any right to be. “Nice to meet you.” Bucky manages to shake the man’s hand without doing something stupid, like spill his drink or let out a whimper or something. Because, honestly, Steve ‘Nice-To-Meet-You’ Rogers is even more breathtaking in person than he is on paper or on TV – which is something, because Bucky is pretty sure the Captain was part of his big sexual awakening a couple decades ago. Format: Long oneshot (over 5000 words)

Till It Bleeds Daylight by cable-knit-sweater Square filled: B5 - AU - Detectives Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply, watermelon Major tags: AU - Detectives, AU - Mob, Steve joins Hydra, Angst with a happy ending, Hurt/Comfort, Summary: Steve has been undercover with Hydra for a couple of months, slowly getting deeper into the organization . As he tries to figure out what they’re plotting and tries to take them down, he struggles with his past, loneliness, and keeping his cover. When he finds out about a mysterious contractor, the Winter Soldier, Steve figures he or she is the key to Hydra’s plans, but getting more information is not without risk. But well, Steve is anything but risk averse - just ask his secretive one-night-stand turned regular hookup turned …something, James “Bucky” Barnes. Or, going undercover with the criminal organization that haunted your neighborhood growing up, a Steve Rogers guide: Step 1 - Don’t make it personal; Step 2 - Don’t take unnecessary risks; Step 3 - Don’t lose your cool; Step 4 - Don’t fall in love with a hitman; Step 5 - Ignore rules 1 to 4, especially 4. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

I was alone I took a ride by otp-holic Square filled: N4 - Becca Barnes Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: au, completed Summary: The epilogue. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

Complementing by BBD2BH Square filled: I3 - Dysfunctional Relationship Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Threesome-M/M/M, Domestic Fluff, Sexual Role-Playing, Modern AU, Domestic Bliss Summary: Of the three of them, Bucky’s the least likely to deserve the happiness he shares with his husbands, but Steve and Tony don’t ever make him feel like he doesn’t belong. The three of them complement each other, even if Bucky’s positive he’s the weak link. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

What I Think A Hallmark Stucky Movie Would Be by Every-Marveler-Ever Square filled: O2 - AU: Hallmark/Lifetime Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Mention of death and hospital Major tags: Holidays, Lawyer Bucky, Hallmark Movie Plot Summary: Bucky is a lawyer, Steve works for ends meat, Bucky moves his parents into a new home and never visits, and Steve is their next-door neighbour and makes himself helpful. Christmas is slightly awkward when you haven’t been home in years and you are fairly sure you’re parents are replacing you. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

Reckless Behavior by ralsbecket Square filled: I5 - Secret Filming Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Quarantine, Sex Tapes, Porn Watching, Masturbation Summary: How Bucky got the footage wasn’t much a mystery; it seemed like all the videos were of them engaging in their many, many activities (Bucky did always love watching Steve and Tony in every way he could). It felt like a violation of their privacy in some way, watching the videos, yet Steve couldn’t find it in himself to look away. Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

Bucky remembers Steve by Nivelle Square filled: I4 - Silver Fox Bucky Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: post-canon Summary: Sometimes when Bucky looks at old photos, it feels like Steve is looking over his shoulder. Format: Art

A Very Strange Monday Morning by Andrea1717 Square filled: B2 - America's Ass Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Married Couple, Comedy, Fluff Summary: Steve experiences a very special Monday morning. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

[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.

[leannareneehieber]

Vermont! This weekend! I'm so thrilled to return to the Vermont Sci-Fi & Fantasy Expo! On both Saturday and Sunday, I'll be on the Women in Sci-Fi & Fantasy panel AND both days I'll discuss my acclaimed non-fiction, A HAUNTED HISTORY OF INVISIBLE WOMEN: TRUE STORIES OF AMERICA'S GHOSTS, co-authored with Andrea Janes. I'll tell real life ghost stories and truly wild history, offering insights behind-the-scenes, what it's been like writing a heartfelt examination of women's history and ghost-lore, celebrating the importance of the ghost story itself! Come get a signed book and say hello! More info via the link!

[notebooknebula]

How To Earn $2 Billion In Real Estate Investment | Raising Private Money with Jay Conner

Private Money Academy Conference:

https://www.JaysLiveEvent.com

Free Report:

https://www.jayconner.com/MoneyReport

Join the Private Money Academy:

https://www.JayConner.com/trial/

If you are a real estate investor wondering how to raise and leverage private money to make more profit on every deal then you’re in the right place. 

On Raising Private Money we’ll speak with new and seasoned investors to dissect their deals and extract the best tips and strategies to help you get the money! 

Today we have Tim Herriage! 

Tim Herriage is the Executive Director at RCN Capital and host of The Uncontested Investing Show.   

Tim is a professional real estate investor and entrepreneur.  For two decades he has been on the leading edge of the Real Estate Investor (REI) space.  This includes being the Founder of the 2020 REI Group, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Blackstone’s B2R Finance (now Finance of America), Founder of the REI Expo, as well as a Franchisee and Development Agent for HomeVestors® of America.   

Tim has completed well over $2 Billion in real estate investment transactions. These transactions include the acquisition of more than 2,000 houses, more than 1,500 apartment units, more than 100,000 square feet of commercial space, and more than 10,000 loans to real estate investors. 

Tim is an active investor, purchasing single-family and multifamily properties throughout the United States while serving as Executive Director for RCN Capital.  Tim built and sold six companies by the age of 40, most recently taking Finance of America Public with Blackstone.

Have you read Jay’s new book: Where to Get The Money Now?

It is available FREE (all you pay is the shipping and handling) at

https://www.JayConner.com/Book

What is Private Money? Real Estate Investing with Jay Conner

https://www.JayConner.com/MoneyPodcast

Jay Conner is a proven real estate investment leader. He maximizes creative methods to buy and sell properties with profits averaging $67,000 per deal without using his own money or credit.

What is Real Estate Investing? Live Private Money Academy Conference

https://youtu.be/QyeBbDOF4wo

YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/c/RealEstateInvestingWithJayConner

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/private-money-academy-real-estate-investing-with-jay/id1377723034

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/jay.conner.marketing

[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]