#Cecil Squad

[hotwaterandmilk]

[imgibbon]

A "Brief" History of Shade, the Changing Man & Woman

In the beginning, ie 1978, there was Ditko, and he gave us Shade, the Changing Man, and it was good.

Rac Shade was a Bond-type agent of an advanced society on a world called Meta - not an alien planet, but the Earth-analog of another layer of reality, and journeying between them meant crossing "The Zero Zone" and trying not to run afoul of its Area of Madness.

Shade had been framed for treason and the crippling of his fellow agent and fiancé Mellu Loran's parents, high-ranking government officials. Escaping from prison and heading to Earth and making use of a bit of contraband experimental technology that was being held at his hideout for Earth operations prior to his frame-up, the "M-Vest", he tracks down escaped Metan criminals while also seeking to find the one who framed him, who has been hiding out on Earth by integrating into its mafia underworld.

The M-Vest allowed Shade a range of powers. With it he could manipulate gravity, employ enhanced strength, fire off energy blasts, and gave him an odd force-field that mitigated harm, but was also sensitive to the psyche of those around Shade, contorting to look like a weird image of their fears, as well as reflecting Shade's unconscious thoughts. He was a "changing man" as, to others, he was a constantly mutable and unnerving entity.

Across the 8 published issues (we got issue #9 later, and Ditko purportedly had up through issue #15 plotted out), Shade convinces his superiors of his innocence, returns to Meta, makes up with Mellu, and starts to make his way back to earth to deal with the criminal mastermind behind his framing infiltrating and taking over the Earth observation outpost that Shade's organization had been working out of.

And then the series was cancelled on short notice due to DC being in financially dire straits at the time.

A decade later, in 1988, Shade was rescued from the void of the Zero Zone by The Suicide Squad, joining their ranks in return for helping him liberate his org's outpost as if it were the next issue and he hadn't been absent from pages for a decade since we last visited that plotline. The mastermind is killed during the scuffle, and with him any chances of Shade being able to go home and formally clear his name. Waller and co offer to help him out while he figures out another way home in the meantime.

He ran with the Squad for a good twenty issues, taking part in the giant Janus Directive crossover, and even journeying to Apokolips and fighting the New Gods with them. During that arc, he is talked into making a bad call that betrays the team, though he helps them get out of the resulting mess. In the end, when everyone is zapped home by Darkseid's eyebeams, while the rest of the Squad is blipped to Earth, Shade is finally returned to Meta.

Six months later, mid 1990, Peter Milligan's first issue of the new Shade, the Changing Man hit news stands. And it was... different.

Milligan expanded on Shade's backstory, revealing that Shade had been an aspiring poet prior to being recruited into the agency that trained it out of him, and delving more into Metan culture, while also using Shade as a vehicle for exploring the weirdness of being in a familiar yet alien society he felt as a British man newly moved to America.

After returning to Meta and before he'd had time to reunite with Mellu, Shade's superiors had tasked him with going back to Earth to pick up an assignment that another agent had been on but failed at: figuring out where the Madness in America was stemming from, and stop it from leaking out into the Area of Madness and influencing Meta. Shade had to journey deep into the Area of Madness to get a bead on it, and ended up on Earth by possessing the body of a freshly executed serial killer, unknowingly leaving his original body an empty lifeless husk floating in the void.

He started travelling the States with Kathy George, whose parents were the serial killer's final victims, and the two eventually are joined by Lenny Shapiro, and sarcastic and witty woman in her own right. The three end up in what would today be called a polyamorous trouple, and eventually confront the living embodiment madness of America, which had infected the other agent, driven him insane, and transformed him into what manifested to others as the giant twisted skeleton of Uncle Sam known as The American Scream.

Shade's M-Vest has grown in power, and possibly is just a part of him now, vastly increasing his abilities to raw reality-warping levels. He can more or less just do whatever the story needs him to do now, basically.

Once the Scream had been dealt with, Shade died. Not that that really slowed him down at all. He wasn't even really aware that it had happened. His at this point powerful madness-riddled psyche was keeping him around as a ghost of sorts, and Kathy & Lenny found a recent corpse to posses, as someone had just driven their car into the lake near where they were staying.

They only discovered after the fact that it was a woman.

After a brief detour where Shade transitioned back into being a man (transmasc baybeeeee), he went back to Meta, finally reconnecting with Mellu after what was now some years, only to learn that the agency had told her that he was dead, and she'd met and wed someone else. She has a mental breakdown, asking in tears why he hadn't come home sooner. Taking this in, Shade returned to Kathy and Lenny, to let them know that he was dying again, said his goodbyes, and allowed himself to be killed by the same FBI/Meta duel operative who'd done him in before.

This is where the Vertigo imprint spun up. The next issue, under the Vertigo banner, picks up after a bit of a timeskip, where Kathy and Lenny are informed by the ghost of Kathy's dead ex that angels in heaven have plans for Shade, and they're sending him back, having prepared for him a body to use in the form of a adult man who's been basically braindead since birth and kept in a medical institution. But the angels have kept a bit of Shade's soul so they can exert some power over him, and it's made him a bit less hinged than he used to be.

Shade, Kathy, and Lenny, per the angels' direction, set up shop as managers of a hotel, helping the weird visitors who come to stay there. During their time there, Shade manages to get Kathy pregnant, and Lenny reunites with the daughter Lily that she had in her teens before running away from home.

But as Kathy comes to term and approaches the time to give birth, she is brutally assaulted. She dies, though they manage to save the baby. Shade, however, is not in his right mind, and rejects the child, walking out of the hospital to wander, while Lenny leaves with her daughter.

This, purportedly, was where Milligan intended to end the series. But for whatever reason it didn't, so it kept going, and the status quo was obviously massively different than what it used to be.

After another not-too-lengthy timeskip Shade decides to kill himself, not seeing the point in continuing, though the literal devil sends him back to posses yet another body. Shade, in an attempt to find meaning, sets up shop in a dimensionally transcendental crack in the pavement in NYC, spends some time existing as the floor in a dance studio, and finally goes to check up on his son, George. Who, it turns out, is aging extremely rapidly, due to not being fully human.

Reunitings with Lenny are had, George ages to death over the course of six months, his soul merges with Lenny's daughter Lily, Shade picks up a few more strays in the form of Angela and Sinita, the latter of which he starts a new relationship with, before everything goes tits up again and he decides the solution is to build a time machine so he can fix all of his (and his friends') problems. He prevents Kathy's parents from being murdered, prevents his younger self from joining the agency, helps Lenny out in her youth, etc.

The series ends with Shade and his now-daughter Lily visiting this new revised timeline's version of Kathy to see if they can strike up a relationship with her.

Things apparently didn't go well.

The next time we see Shade outside of cameos is a story arc in Milligan's run on John Constantine, Hellblazer, in 2010. Constantine summons Shade to help with some Madness-related issues he and his fiancé Epiphany are experiencing, and Shade, unable to get together with the new Kathy and Lily nowhere in sight, becomes obsessed with turning Constantine's bride-to-be into an idealized version of Kathy. It doesn't work, and Constantine is able to properly wed Epiphany, but Shade is shown to be crazy and depressed and have basically the powers of a god. In the middle of all of that we also met back up with Lenny, who has cleaned herself up and is now a school teacher, go figure.

The very next year, DC would cancel the Vertigo line, and everything else, and reboot their universe with the Flashpoint event. During it, in a miniseries from Milligan, Shade is forcibly taken back to Meta, where they reveal that A) the vest has grown to be a part of him, and can no longer be removed in a way that matters, and, B) because of this he is, to an extent, immune to all these reality rewrites. Or at least less affected by them. Shade is put in charge of a team, the Secret Seven, but the madness overtakes him (with a bit of help from some double agents for an enemy faction) and he winds up back in the Area of Madness

Afterwards, in the New 52, we see him trying to forcibly manifest a new Kathy with his godlike powers, but apparently not godlike enough, as she just melts when he's not around. He's interrupted by Madame Xanadu, putting together a team, the Justice League Dark, largely comprised of many of the members of the Secret Seven, and tasks Shade in a leading role to help her save the world from some threats she has foreseen.

Milligan wrote this series for the first 8 issues, and when he left, so did Shade (as well as Milligan's other OCs he'd brought to the table), but it served as a nice little coda to his era of The Changing Man that had begun some twenty odd years earlier.

It would then be another half-decade or so before we'd see hide or hair of Shade again. In late 2016, DC started up the Young Animal line, a young adult-aimed successor to the Vertigo imprint, with many of the same faces headlining its titles. And among them was Shade.

Sort of.

The new Shade, the Changing Girl, from writer Cecil Castellucci, starred young adult bird alien Loma Shade, who was raised on Meta and had adopted Rac's last name after becoming enamored with his poetry and counter-culture views while he was acting as a guest lecture at her university before disappearing form Metan society again.

Loma steals what is purportedly Rac's vest, which has been sitting in a museum, and uses it to transfer her consciousness to Earth, wanting to follow in Rac's footsteps, taking over the body of a comatose high school girl named Megan. And leaving her now empty bird alien body behind on Meta for her boyfriend to deal with, oops.

Living as "Megan", she learns about our culture, experiences dysphoria being in a body she doesn't identify with, and explores sexuality, hormones, and learns how to be a better person than she used to be (and than Megan used to be as well). Meanwhile back on Meta, we learn that Mellu, now getting up there in years, is the head of the agency that used to employ her and Shade, and becomes obsessed when learning that someone has stolen Rac's vest and managed to use it, thinking she'll finally be able to reunite with Shade again after all these years.

Eventually, Loma runs away from home, learns never to meet her heroes, has to deal with Megan wanting her body back, and Mellu wanting Rac's coat back. Her original body dies without her soul in it, and Megan's body dies in the process of Megan trying to get back in it. Shade ends up possessing the body of her favorite black & white sitcom star, Honey Rich, who happened to look a lot like Megan in her younger years, and returns it to youthfulness to attend Megan's funeral.

Mellu also gets the coat back and uses it to reunite with Shade, who had left behind the vest for Mellu and was waiting for her in the Area of Madness where time has no meaning.

It was at this point that Loma got caught up in a really bizarre crossover event that involved all the titles in the Young Animal line called Milk Wars, which was largely Doom Patrol focused, but saw Loma splitting in five, each color-coded and embodying one of her emotions Inside Out style, and serving as Wonder Woman's personal helpers in a world overtaken by a weird 1920s aesthetic organization called Retcon. It was very weird lol.

The series then returned with under the new branding Shade, the Changing Woman. We are subjected to a five year timeskip, during which Loma has grown and slipped into old habits, sleeping around with men and women, indulging in food, drugs, and other things to fill the void in her heart. Her friends have all graduated, gone on to higher education, and gotten jobs in their fields. And she still doesn't really know what her place in the world is. So she's been couch-surfing with Rac in the Area of Madness while she figures out what to do with her life.

And in the midst of all that, the giant interdimensional crayfish that destroyed her birth planet, causing her to be a refuge child on Meta in the first place, begin to attack the Earth.

By the end of the final issue in late 2018, Loma and Rac had become one person, Kathy, Lenny, and Lily had put in an appearance, Mellu got some closure, Megan had come back in a male body and tried to hijack Loma's again, Loma's old boyfriend had become a green lantern, and Loma ended up possessing the body of her dying black non-binary friend River.

And that's where the series ended.

And we haven't seen Shade, in any iteration, since then.

[ritartist42]

Did this a while back, the original was from I think @draw-the-squad-like-this (I am so sorry if not) and someone taged it cecilos, so I was like yeah I will draw it lol.

This:

As you can probably see, but I have just noticed that the guy on the ref is spitting out water, as I am writing this lol (thought it was lens flar or something...)

I didn't really like this originally (that is why I haven't posted) bc I did Cecil's face too cartoony (which can be cool, but I didn't like it here), but then it kinda grew on me, hope you like it~

[kurayamineko]

[haunted-xander]

They made a full coherent sentence together!

[booloocrew-blog]

so i figured out how to add hardsubs to my videos

please enjoy this, suicide squad fans!!!

[americangirlstar]

American Girl – Kingdom Hearts AU

1/?

Kaya’aton’my of Windsmoke Woods, a forest world of natural beauty where Kaya learns to lead

Felicity Merriman and Elizabeth Cole of Revolutionary Points, a world at war where these girls fight to be seen

Caroline Abbott of Abbott Shipyard, a wide ocean world of sailors, traders, and pirates

Josefina Montoya of Rancho de Montoya, a farm world where young Josefina was gifted with healing magic

Marie-Grace Gardner and Cécile Rey of New Orleans Melodies, a musical Louisiana world brought together by friendship

Kirsten Larson of the Sunlit Frontier, a wide-open world where she has the chance to make a difference

Aduke “Addy” Walker of Freedom’s Pass, a dangerous world where Addy strives to defend her family

[doamarierose-honoka]

The Suicide Squad will be making their official anime debut later this year, and Suicide Squad Isekai has shared a cool new poster ahead of its premiere! Suicide Squad as a brand has been growing in notoriety in the last few years especially as the group of DC Comics villains have branched out with their own movie and video game successes. Now they will be taking over the world of anime next as the DC Comics villains will be thrown into a new Isekai anime adventure of their own with one of the wildest missions they have been assigned to date!

Suicide Squad Isekai is one of the many new anime projects showing off big updates with the upcoming AnimeJapan 2024 this weekend, and fans were treated to a big update for the anime showing off more of its expanded roster of characters ahead of their convention takeover. To celebrate its latest updated as it prepares to hit screens some time later this year, Suicide Squad Isekai has dropped a cool new poster for the anime showing off both its DC Comics and original characters we'll see in action. Check it out below:

(Photo: WIT Studio / Warner Bros. Japan)

How to Watch Suicide Squad Isekai Anime

Suicide Squad Isekai will be premiering some time later this year, but has yet to confirm a release date as of the time of this publication. The cast for the series includes the likes of Anna Nagase as Harley Quinn, Yuichiro Umehara as The Joker, Reigo Yamaguchi as Deadshot, Takehito Koyasu as Peacemaker, Jun Fukuyama as Clayface, Subaru Kimura as King Shark, Taku Yashiro as Rick Flag, Kujira as Amanda Waller, Chika Anzai as Katana, Reina Ueda as Fione, Mamiko Noto as Aldora, and Jun Fukushima as Cecil.

Eri Osada will be directing Suicide Squad Isekai for WIT Studio, Tappei Nagatsuki and Eiji Umehara will be writing the scripts, Akira Amano will be providing drafts for each of the characters, Naoto Hosoda will be finalizing the character designs, Kenichiro Suehiro will be composing the music, and Shinya Tsuuoka will be serving as producer for Warner Bros. Japan. The opening theme is titled "Another World" as performed by Tomoyasu Hotei, and the ending theme is titled "Go-Getters" as performed by Mori Calliope.

What do you think of the newest look at the Suicide Squad's anime debut? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on X (formerly known as Twitter)!

[void-star]

Cecil Palmer didn't confess his love for another man on the radio in 2012 for people to think he is Chaste.

[deepbluececil]

"Mm... guess that is on me, my mistake. Something doesn't necessarily have to be exciting to be fun." The tone makes it clear he's gotten under the other's skin, and while it wasn't his intention he can't help but to feel a bubble of amusement welling up inside of him. Guess it's true what they say about the shorties being more temperamental after all. "An easy life is a fair goal to have."

He's quiet for a few moments as he listens to the other with a big smile still. And while he could have probably restrained himself into looking like he was taking this more seriously than he was, he's sure his voice would've just given him away. He barely moves at all when the other pokes him in the chest, but his smile does shift back into another sharp grin.

"Careful not to get your boots into too much of a twist there, cowboy, there's no harm meant. My collecting is my excitement-- I hunt down magical items to sell. And if you know anything about magical items..." He looks the other up and down, eyes lingering on the other's boots for just a moment too long. "Which you might not-- a lot of them are awfully dangerous to get to. Cursed underground temples guarded by the undead and unnatural, crumbling buildings filled with things that only know they want to skin you alive and tear you apart piece by piece, that kind of thing. Fighting through hell and high water to get a pretty prize that'll earn me thousands if not millions. Or at least one that'll help me on my next hunt. And you?"

Now that causes a string of annoyance to twist in his chest. His life had been exciting since the day he left his pa’s farm all those years ago, for better and worse. Between managing life as a wanted outlaw and being trapped in a witches grimoire with otherworldly creatures for over hundred years, he’d had more than enough excitement for two life times! Not that he had to explain himself to this guy.

“Well, hey now, don’t go drawin’ conclusions like that, m’friend. Y’asked what I’d like t’ do with my life, didn’t ya? ‘Course I ride my horse an’ go shootin’ an’ like wranglin’ beasts fer th’ fun’f it too. I’d just prefer t’not have t’look over my shoulder every wakin’ moment’f my life if I can help it.” He says pointedly, not quite fancying the implication.

And because he’s taken it as a personal attack, he can’t help but scoff as the other shares his idea of what he’s doing with his life. “An’ yer gonna act like collectin’ an’ sellin’ things is anymore excitin? What d’ya sell? Snake oil? Snrk.” Okay, he’s satisfied now.

“Y’know what—fuck th’ life stuff. What’s yer idea’f excitement, m’friend?”

“That’s what y’shoulda asked me.” He steps a little closer somewhere in the midst of his words and pokes the other man in the chest with an index, looking up at him. There’s a bit of a challenge in that smirk he wears.

[cactus-personal-purgatory]

One can not have too many dads in my opinion

[demifiendrsa]

Suicide Squad ISEKAI Official Trailer 3  (with English captions)

Suicide Squad ISEKAI will premiere in 2024. Mori Calliope is performing the ending theme song “Go-Getters”.

Key visual

Cast additions

Taku Yashiro as Rick Flag

Kujira as Amanda Waller

Chika Anzai as Katana

Reina Ueda as Fione

Mamiko Noto as Aldora

Jun Fukushima as Cecil

Previously announced cast members

Anna Nagase as Harley Quinn

Yuichiro Umehara as The Joker

Reigo Yamaguchi as Deadshot

Takehito Koyasu as Peacemaker

Jun Fukuyama as Clayface

Subaru Kimura as King Shark

Staff

Director: Eri Osada

Character Design Draft: Akira Amano

Character Design: Naoto Hosoda

Screenplay: Tappei Nagatsuki, Eiji Umehara

Music: Kenichiro Suehiro

Animation Production: Wit Studio

Synopsis

In the crime-ridden city of Gotham, Amanda Waller, the head of A.R.G.U.S., has assembled a group of notorious criminals for a mission: Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Peacemaker, Clayface, and King Shark. These Super-Villains are sent into an otherworldly realm that’s connected to this world through a gate. It’s a world of swords and magic where orcs rampage and dragons rule the skies—an “ISEKAI”! With lethal explosives planted in their necks, there’s no running or hiding, and failing the mission means a one-way ticket to the afterlife! Can Harley Quinn and her crew conquer this perilous ISEKAI realm?! Brace yourselves for the pulse-pounding saga of the elite task force known as the “Suicide Squad” as they embark on a jaw-dropping adventure!

[notebookmusical]

books read in 2023

hi, hello! inspired by a few mutuals, i decided to do a reading thread of 2023! you can find my goodreads here, and my bookstagram here! as always, askbox + dms are open if have any questions or would like to chat about books!

january

book lovers by emily henry (reread; ★★★★★)

convenience store woman by sayaka murata + translated by ginny tapley takemori (★★★☆☆)

a wish in the dark by christina soontornvat (★★★★★)

so you want to talk about race by ijeoma oluo (audiobook; ★★★★★)

highly suspicious and unfairly cute by talia hibbert (★★★★☆)

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by taylor jenkins reid (reread; (★★★★☆)

if not, winter by sappho + translated by anne carson (★★★★★)

when you wish upon a lantern by gloria chao (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

this time it's real by ann liang (ARC; ★★★★★)

love, theoretically by ali hazelwood (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

hell bent by leigh bardugo (★★★★☆)

everything i know about love by dolly alderton (reread; ★★★★★)

the fraud squad by kyla zhao (★★★☆☆)

masters of death by olivie blake (★★★★☆)

enter the body by joy mccullough (★★★★☆)

the stranger by albert camus (reread; ★★★★★)

you'd be mine by erin hahn (★☆☆☆☆)

a hundred other girls by iman hariri-kia (★☆☆☆☆)

bloodmarked by tracy deonn (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

fearless by mandy gonazales (★★★★☆)

february

the roommate by rosie danan (★★☆☆☆)

wuthering heights by emily brontë (book club pick; ★★★★☆)

the nanny by lana ferguson (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

the writing retreat by julia bartz (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

exes and o's by amy lea (★★★☆☆)

not here to stay friends by kaitlyn hill (ARC; ★★★★☆)

chloe and the kaishao boys by mae coyiuto (ARC; ★★★★☆)

isha, unscripted by sajni patel (gifted; ★★☆☆☆)

conversations on love by natasha lunn (★★★★★)

meet me at the lake by carley fortune (ARC; ★★★★☆)

emily wilde's encyclopedia of faeries by heather fawcett (★★★☆☆)

where echoes die by courtney gould (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

vintage contemporaries by dan kois (gifted; ★★☆☆☆)

how to be perfect: the correct answer to every moral question by michael schur (audiobook; ★★★★★)

half a soul by olivia atwater (★★★★★)

ten thousand stitches by olivia atwater (★★★★☆)

longshadow by olivia atwater (★★★★★)

between the world and me by ta-nehisi coates (audiobook; ★★★★★)

infamous by lex croucher (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

the lord sorcier by olivia atwater (★★★★☆)

the latch key by olivia atwater (★★★★★)

made of stars by jenna voris (ARC; ★★★★☆)

march

when broadway was black: the triumphant story of the all-black musical that changed the world by caseen gaines (audiobook; ★★★★★)

leave it to the march sisters by annie sereno (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

once more with feeling by elissa sussman (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)

moorewood family rules by helenkay dimon (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

fleabag: the scriptures by phoebe waller-bridge (★★★★★)

fake dates and mooncakes by sher lee (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)

vera wong's unsolicited advice for murderers by jesse q. sutanto (gifted; ★★★★☆)

emma of 83rd street by audrey bellezza and emily harding (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

how to read now by elaine castillo (★★★★★)

constellations by nick payne (reread; ★★★★☆)

ching chong chinaman by lauren yee

devil in winter by lisa kleypas (★★★★☆)

the passing playbook by isaac fitzsimons ( ★★★★★)

infinite jest by david foster wallace

our wives under the sea by julia armfield (★★★★☆)

mrs. nash's ashes by sarah adler (ARC; ★★★★☆)

study break: 11 college tales from orientation to graduation edited by aashna avachat (★★★☆☆)

the love match by priyanka taslim (★★★★☆)

a lady for a duke by alexis hall (★★★★☆)

love and other consolation prizes by jamie ford (★★★☆☆)

april

spoiler alert by olivia dade (★★☆☆☆)

all the feels by olivia dade (★★☆☆☆)

ship wrecked by olivia dade (★★☆☆☆)

float plan by trish doller (★★★★☆)

yellowface by r.f. kuang

the ex hex by erin sterling (★★☆☆☆)

the kiss curse by erin sterling (★★★☆☆)

siren queen by nghi vo (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

chloe and the kaishao boys by mae coyiuto (reread; ★★★★★)

wandering souls by cecile pin (gifted; ★★★★★)

heavy vinyl, vol. 1: riot on the radio by nina vakueva & carly usdin (★★★★☆)

heavy vinyl: y2k-o! by nina vakueva & carly usdin (★★★★☆)

never ever getting back together by sophie gonzales (★★☆☆☆)

book lovers by emily henry (reread; ★★★★★)

miss aldridge regrets by louise hare (gifted; ★★★☆☆)

if the shoe fits by julie murphy (★★★☆☆)

blackmail and bibingka by mia p. manansala (★★★★☆)

murder and mamon by mia p. manansala (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

icebreaker by hannah grace (★☆☆☆☆)

alone with you in the ether by olivie blake (reread; ★★★★★)

may

beautiful country: a memoir of an undocumented childhood by qian julie wang (★★★★★)

the other black girl by zakiya dalila harris (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

check & mate by ali hazelwood (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

if i'm being honest by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (reread; ★★★★★)

always never yours by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (reread; ★★★★★)

do i know you? by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (reread; ★★★★★)

romeo and juliet by william shakespeare (audiobook, reread; ★★★★★)

joan is okay by weike wang (★★★★☆)

technically yours by denise williams (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

first position by melanie hamrick (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)

the boy from kyiv: alexei ratmansky's life in ballet by marina harss (ARC; ★★★★★)

the boy you always wanted by michelle quach (ARC; ★★★★☆)

woman, eating by claire kohda (★★☆☆☆)

immortal longings by chloe gong (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

heartburn by nora ephron (★★★☆☆)

a merry little meet cute by julie murphy & sierra simone (★★☆☆☆)

the deal by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)

the mistake by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)

the score by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)

the goal by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)

the legacy by elle kennedy (★☆☆☆☆)

open water by caleb azumah nelson (★★★★★)

painted devils by margaret owen (gifted; ★★★★★)

playing for keeps by kendall ryan (★☆☆☆☆)

june

the final revival of opal and nev by dawnie walton (★★★☆☆)

the missing of clairedelune by christelle dabos (audiobook; ★★★★★)

happy place by emily henry (reread; ★★★★★)

iris kelly doesn't date by ashley herring blake (ARC; ★★★★☆)

ghosts by dolly alderton (★★★★★)

you don't have a shot by racquel marie (gifted; ★★★★☆)

thank you for listening by julia whelan (audiobook; ★★★★★)

if you still recognize me by cynthia so (gifted; ★★☆☆☆)

imogen, obviously by becky albertalli (gifted; ★★★★☆)

for never & always by helena greer (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)

all the dead lie down by kyrie mccauley (gifted; ★★★★☆)

one hundred days by alice pung (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

much ado about nada by uzma jalaluddin (★★★★☆)

thieves gambit by kayvion lewis (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

deep in providence by riss m. neilson (★★★☆☆)

the burnout by sophie kinsella (ARC; ★★★★☆)

small worlds by caleb azumah nelson (ARC; ★★★★☆)

we ship it by lauren kay (★☆☆☆☆)

foul heart huntsman by chloe gong (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

the memory of babel by christelle dabos (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

pride and prejudice and pittsburgh by rachael lippincott (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

a british girl's guide to hurricanes and heartbreak by laura taylor namey (ARC; ★★★★☆)

the reunion by kit frick (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

queer by william s. burroughs

when grumpy met sunshine by charlotte stein (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)

july

the storm of echoes by christelle dabos (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

will they or won't they by ava wilder (★★★☆☆)

fiona and jane by jean chen ho (audiobook; ★★☆☆☆)

business or pleasure by rachel lynn solomon (★★★☆☆)

teach the torches to burn: a romeo & juliet remix by caleb roehrig (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

a man called ove by fredrik backman (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

exciting times by naoise dolan (audiobook; ★☆☆☆☆)

the hobbit by j.r.r. tolkien (audiobook; ★★★★★)

the year of magical thinking by joan didion (★★★★★)

such a fun age by kiley reid (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

tis the damn season by kimi freeman (ARC; ★☆☆☆☆)

august

a very nice girl by imogen crimp (audiobook; ★★☆☆☆)

bliss montage by ling ma (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

the raven boys by maggie stiefvater (reread; ★★★★★)

freshwater by akwaeke emezi (audiobook; ★★☆☆☆)

the dream thieves by maggie stiefvater (reread; ★★★★★)

i'm not done with you yet by jesse q. sutanto (gifted; ★★☆☆☆)

blue lily, lily blue by maggie stiefvater (reread; ★★★★★)

the raven king by maggie stiefvater (reread; ★★★★★)

bellegarde by jamie lilac (gifted; ★★★☆☆)

red, white & royal blue by casey mcquiston (reread; ★★★★★)

some mistakes were made by kristin dwyer (gifted; ★★★☆☆)

september

beta read (★★★★★)

dogs of summer by andrea abreu lópez (audiobook; ★★☆☆☆)

in these hallowed halls: a dark academia anthology edited by maria o'regan and paul kane (ARC; ★★★☆☆)

together we rot by skyla arndt (★★★★☆)

stay with my heart by tashie bhuiyan (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

before we say goodbye by toshikazu kawaguchi & translated by geoffrey trousselot (ARC; ★★★★★)

the dead romantics by ashley poston (★★★★☆)

the seven year slip by ashley poston( ★★★★★)

you, again by kate goldbeck (★★☆☆☆)

serpent & dove by shelby mahurin (gifted; ★★★☆☆)

harlem after midnight by louise hare (gifted; ★★★☆☆)

witch of wild things by raquel vasquez gilliland (gifted; ★★★☆☆)

the luis ortega survival club by sonora reyes (gifted; ★★★★☆)

blood & honey by shelby mahurin (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde (audiobook; ★★★★★)

for the throne by hannah whitten (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

the wake-up call by beth o'leary (★★★★★)

the book eaters by sunyi dean (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

october

the moth keeper by kay o'neill (★★★★☆)

a fragile enchantment by allison saft (ARC; ★★★★☆)

just kids by patti smith (audiobook)

cult classic by sloane crosley (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

the atlas paradox by olivie blake (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

the goodbye cat by hiro arikawa (gifted; ★★★★★)

the appeal by janice hallett ( ★★★★☆)

the twyford code by janice hallett ( ★★★★☆)

wildfire by hannah grace (★★☆☆☆)

the roaring by t. katarina tayler (★★☆☆☆)

curious tides by pascale lacelle (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

the tempest by william shakespeare (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

murder on the orient express by agatha christie (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

canadian boyfriend by jenny holiday (ARC; ★★☆☆☆)

november

better than fiction by alexa martin (★★★☆☆)

the christmas appeal by janice hallett(★★★★☆)

kaikeyi by vaishnavi patel (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

finale: late conversations with stephen sondheim by d.t. max (audiobook; ★★★★☆)

cleopatra and frankenstein by coco mellors (★★★★☆)

the undertaking of hart and mercy by megan bannen (audiobook; ★★★☆☆)

december

how to stop time by matt haig (audioboook; ★★★☆☆)

the wake-up call by beth o'leary (reread; ★★★★★)

the break up tour by emily wibberley & austin siegemund-broka (arc; ★★☆☆☆)

bride by ali hazelwood (arc; ★☆☆☆☆)

the getaway list by emma lord (arc; review withheld due to st. martin's press boycott)

same time next year by tessa bailey (★☆☆☆☆)

the mountains sing by nguyễn phan quế mai (★★★★★)

normal people by sally rooney (audiobook, reread; ★★★★★)

the night circus by erin morgenstern (reread;★★★★★)

funny story by emily henry (arc; ★★★★★)

les misérables by victor hugo (★★★★★)

TOTAL BOOKS READ: 202

[variouspolltournaments]

Next up is the Alive For Centuries Tournament.

Submit a character that is at least 2 centuries old, along with where they come from and (if you want) propaganda through ask or submit a post.

SUBMISSIONS CLOSED

The character does have to be considered alive to count. I know I said otherwise a while back but I have since changed my mind. As a result ghost or vampire characters, to give a couple examples, no longer count for the purposes of this tournament.

Submissions will be closing on the 15th of September.

Top 4 submissions are the ones I submitted myself.

@tournament-announcer

Submissions in bold have propaganda, submissions not in bold do not have propaganda. Whether they do or do not have some already, you are still free to submit some.

SUBMISSIONS:

Chibiusa Tsukino (Sailor Moon)

Saint Germain (Code: Realize)

Agatha Cromwell (Halloweentown)

Charlie Morningstar (Hazbin Hotel)

Glep (Smiling Friends)

John Gaius (The Locked Tomb)

Ren (My Demon Roomate)

Chiron (Percy Jackson)

The Doctor (Doctor Who)

Aries, Leo and Sagittarius (Chronicles of the Red King/Charlie Bone)

Breq (Imperial Radch/Ancillary Justice)

The Strength and Patience of the Hill (The Raven Tower)

Addie LaRue (The Invisible Live of Addie LaRue)

Andrew Martin (Bicentennial Man)

Galadriel (Lord of the Rings)

Connor MacLeod (Highlander)

Princess Kida (Atlantis the Lost Empire)

Hooty (The Owl House)

Cecil Palmer (Welcome to Night Vale)

Zhongli (Genshin Impact)

Darkstalker (Wings of Fire)

Scythe Curie (Arc of a Scythe)

Merlin (BBC Merlin)

Logan Howlett (Deadpool and Wolverine)

Lilia Vanrouge (Twisted Wonderland)

Mother Gothel (Tangled)

Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)

Zunesha (One Piece)

Foeslayer (Wings of Fire)

Jerboa III (Wings of Fire)

Gruff (Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast)

Melog (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)

The Titan (The Owl House)

Rock (Warrior Cats)

Van Hohenheim (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Solas (Dragon Age)

Senku Ishigami (Dr. Stone)

Taiju (Dr. Stone)

Acnologia (Fairy Tail)

Irene Belserion (Fairy Tail)

Belos/Philip Witterbane (The Owl House)

The Darf in the Flasc/Homonculus/Father (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Fujiwara no Mokou (Touhou Project)

Houraisan Kaguya (Touhou Project)

Methos (Highlander the Series)

Theresa (The Fable Universe)

Simon Petrikov (Adventure Time)

Jerboa I (Wings of Fire)

Jerboa II (Wings of Fire)

Oprah/Ms. O (Odd Squad)

Grandmaster Yoda (Star Wars)

Reaver (The Fable Universe)

Rowena MacLeod (Supernatural)

Rashek/The Lord Ruler (Mistborn)

Carbink (Pokemon)

Xie Lian (Tian Guan Ci Fu)

Giratina (Pokémon)

The Axolotl (Gravity Falls)

Lucifer Morningstar (Hazbin Hotel)

The Master (Doctor Who)

Dongfang Qingcang (Love Between Fairy and Devil)

Atticus O’Sullivan (Iron Druid Chronicles)

Lynette Mirror/Cupid (Cupid Parasite)

Vaati (The Legend of Zelda)

Pian Ran (Till The End of the Moon)

Fangyue (Yin Yang Master: Dream of Eternity)

Liliana Vess (Magic the Gathering)

Carol Malus Dienheim (Senki Zesshou Symphogear)

Quenthel Baenre (Dungeons & Dragons)

Pride (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Lust (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Lord Death (Soul Eater)

Asura (Soul Eater)

Excalibur (Soul Eater)

Arachne Gorgon (Soul Eater)

Medusa Gorgon (Soul Eater)

Cthulhu (Cthulhu Mythos)

Keziah Mason (Cthulhu Mythos)

Mortarion (Warhammer 40k)

Fulgrim (Warhammer 40k)

Perterabo (Warhammer 40k)

Lorgar Aureiian (Warhammer 40k)

Magnus the Red (Warhammer 40k)

Angron (Warhammer 40k)

Typhus (Warhammer 40k)

Lucius the Eternal (Warhammer 40k)

Fabius Bile (Warhammer 40k)

Kharn the Betrayer (Warhammer 40k)

Ahzek Ahriman (Warhammer 40k)

Abbadon the Despoiler (Warhammer 40k)

Asdrubael Vect (Warhammer 40k)

The Devil (Reaper)

Nina (Reaper)

Gladys (Reaper)

Tony (Reaper)

Ikaros (Heaven's Lost Property)

Princess of the Klaxosaurs/001 (Darling in the Franxx)

Orsted (Mushoku Tensei)

Hitogami (Mushoku Tensei)

Deus Ex Machina (Future Diary)

Kagura (Senran Kagura)

Lucoa (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid)

Ilulu (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid)

Kanna (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid)

Gollum (Lord of the Rings)

Lolth (Dungeons & Dragons)

Fitoria (Rising of the Shield Hero)

Hamsuke (Overlord)

Cosmo (The Fairly Odd Parents)

Wanda (The Fairly Odd Parents)

Etna (Disgaea)

The Thing (The Thing)

Phillip J. Fry (Futurama)

Echidna (Queen's Blade)

Earth-chan (Femdom University)

Wuya (Xiaolin Showdown)

Chase Young (Xiaolin Showdown)

Dojo Kanojo Cho (Xiaolin Showdown)

Hannibal Roy Bean (Xiaolin Showdown)

Master Monk Guan (Xiaolin Showdown)

Roswaal L. Mathers (Re:Zero)

Beatrice (Re:Zero)

Anya Jenkins (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Zel (Interspecies Reviewers)

Elma (Interspecies Reviewers)

Lorna (Interspecies Reviewers)

[could-they-be-a-pro-wrestler]

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE OF MONDAY NIGHT FRESH

A FUTURE RIVALRY AGAINST NINJA SEX PARTY…

With the Force Lads (Anakin and Obi-Wan) getting into a feud with Captain Kirk and the Enterprise squad, as well as the Batfamily dealing with internal divisions started by Damian Wayne, NSP - shockingly - is going into Fictional Wrestlemania as the least divided tag team.

Feeling confident about their chances to become the new World Tag Team champions, NSP believes nothing bad can happen to them from now until Fictional Wrestlemania (which will be this weekend).

That’s when they’re called out by…

[just-a-carrot]

does my hot topic employee legend cecil have a last name…I need to know what I’ll be changing my last name to when we get ma- *is immediately executed via firing squad*

lmao his last name is harvey