#Dustin book

[steddieasitgoes]

Okay I’m halfway through The Dustin Experiment and here are some fun snippets you might consider using in fics/art:

- Dustin occasionally going with Steve and Robin to their after school Family Video shifts to hang out with them

- Steve lets the kids rent movies without actually running it through the system and Robin hates it because of the Karate Kid incident

- The jocks are genuinely afraid of Eddie

- Eddie and Dustin hit it off after Dustin fixes Eddie’s Walkman and later his amp

- Dustin and Suzie have radio dates twice a week and they even started their own book club

- Eddie made Dustin a mix tape full of metal songs “because man cannot live on Weird Al alone”

- Robin likes to launch paper footballs at Steve’s head while he’s restocking

- Claudia loves her son so much she doesn’t care that he continuously blows the power of the whole house

- Robin offers to mediate for Dustin and Lucas since they’re not talking

- Steve’s Saturdays are “booked weeks in advance”

- Dustin ask Eddie to drive him to Indy and says “Help me, Eddie-Wan Kenobi” ; Eddie is not amused

- Dustin learns Max moved to Forest Hills after he leaves Eddie’s house and spots her

- Robin DOES mediate between the boys and makes them do trust falls which she makes Steve help her demonstrate

- Steve is apparently afraid of a show called Turbo Teen

- Dustin (and all the boys) write to Will to the point where he knows what’s going on including hellfire and Lucas’s basketball try outs

- Will even sends Dustin a sketch title card for his science fair poster

- Eddie is afraid of ducks because they’re “pure evil” and “have eyes that can look into your soul and do irreparable psychic damage”

- Dustin’s dad cheated on Claudia and when they divorced they moved back to Hawkins

- Eddie gives Dustin a pep talk when he’s nervous about the science fair and tells him it’s okay to be nervous and that he still gets nervous before gigs

- Eddie told an entire group of science fair kids a scary story

[bylertruth3r]

Remember when we got our first Byler kisses in a German book for school? And the author definitely had to ask permission from Netflix and people who worked on Stranger Things to do that, it's a school book and it's about a girl wanting to ask a guy out but she finds out he's gay and has a boyfriend

The "W+M" <33

Pics from here

and them letting a Byler write a Stranger Things book (a Dustin book) and letting them put Byler hints in it and Mike's Will voice and letting them put anti mlvn stuff in it during the s5 era should tell you everything (they're gonna get together)

[shebsart]

[steddielations]

one thing I loved about Eddie’s book is the fact that Eddie’s actually not a music snob. He likes all kinds of music, he listens to blues and country because it’s what his mom loved. He didn’t understand blues until she died and he experienced real loss and grief and sadness and he could feel it. He just loves music and how people relate to it and he associates people with the music they like, even if it’s not his taste, it’s how he connects with people.

All that to say, I’m imagining the look on Dustin’s face sitting in the front seat of Eddie’s van, watching him grinning to himself and tapping the steering wheel and nodding along to Tears for Fears, the same song that Dustin knows for a fact Eddie always switches the radio when it comes on, the same song Steve has been humming for weeks.

[jkparkin]

Batman and Robin #17 (DC, January 2025) variant cover by Dustin Nguyen

[tartarusknight]

Okay but Steve Harrington who somehow landed a talk show/late night show host job. I'm basing this on a clip of the Kelly Clarkson Show, so let me cook.

Steve was pushed into the public eye by his parents either singing or acting. But as he grew up still under his thumb, married to someone they chose who was as controlling and manipulative as his parents, he started hating it all. The fame and money were just reminders of it all. But slowly with a lot of support from Robin, Steve cut those ties. He fought to get the money that was always supposed to be his but in the end he walked away with little money to his name. Even though his name was still quite popular.

He took a break and stayed with Robin, who pushed him to keep going out and doing what he enjoyed but it was hard. He stayed online and people loved seeing his clips. He thought about stepping out of the light completely but then Robin got him a job as a host. The show did well for a late night show and he was enjoying it the best he could. Sometimes he had a bad experience but as he aged, he stopped letting it affect him as much.

He was easy going and made everyone as comfortable as he could. Sure there were people who'd try to start rumors but he did his best to get through it. He was a single bisexual man who divorced his last husband, there was always going to be rumors going around. He didn't get out much for his own life but he gained many friends through the people that came through his show. He just never filled that spot in his heart that longed for love.

That is until Eddie Munson, lead guitarist and singer of Corroded Coffin came on the show. Steve instantly liked the man but forced himself to stay on script. He refused to flirt or show his attraction, even as the man flirted with him. But as Steve was in the middle of asking Eddie about a question on the topic of the lastest tour a photo popped up on his screen.

Steve's voice caught and his train of thought flew out the window at the picture of Eddie mid performance, shirt off, sweat dripping, and his guitar low on his hips. Steve could've died right there as he tried to formulate his question.

"Wow, do you- that's a lot of- right, you must work out- like those muscles- sorry, your shape- you're in shape! Do you have a routine?" Steve finally spit out and only barely stopped himself from hiding his face in his hands.

Eddie smirked at him and slid back in his chair more, "oh yeah. Never used to but Jeff made a good point one day. You gotta be ready to lift your partner," Eddie's grin went from wicked to charmingly innocent in a second and Steve got whiplash, "Over all the mud puddles."

Steve barely managed to keep it together the rest of the interview and Eddie didn't make it any easier on him. Slowly calling Steve more and more pet names. It made Steve want to say fuck it and climb the man, but he stopped himself. Well until later when he knocked on Eddie's dressing room and the two of them finally got in the same page.

After that, well Steve and Eddie were seen together more and more.

[casscainmainly]

I know they're probably not related, but I like to connect this scene (from Gates of Gotham #2) to Dustin Nguyen's story "What's In The Box?" in DC Festival of Heroes:

(Nguyen also uses the Black Bat costume, placing it around Gates of Gotham time).

I like to think that, while Cass more or less brushes off Damian's insult in Gates of Gotham, she can't help that it does get to her. That being shipped off to Hong Kong was genuinely something she had to process. And I like that, because this is in DC Festival of Heroes, her feelings about Bruce shipping her to Hong Kong are tangled up in her understanding of her race.

Idk I just like reading these as connected, because it indicates that Cass had a lot more feelings about leaving Gotham than she let on.

[itsdjover]

The Scoop Troop playing Dungeons and Dragons 🍦⚓

Source: 'Stranger Things' Free Comic Book Day (2020) written by Greg Pak

[cheer-nympho]

THE DUSTIN EXPERIMENT MOMENTS I THINK ARE CUTE OR NOTEWORTHY FOR YOUR FANDOM REFERENCE

Thread of moments from the official book, mainly Eddie info

Mainly Steve, Eddie and Robin or general character dynamics I think are interesting or cute, read this for fanfic help ig,

Copied from my thread on twitter- this book lays in the muddy zone canon wise BUT is officially licensed merch and signed off by the writers, enjoy!

QUICK HIGHLIGHTS: Eddie is canonically afraid of ducks, Eddie is not against Lucas being in basketball and is just worried about the kids driving each other away, Eddie jokingly flirts with male security guards

1. The jocks are SCARED of Eddie. They struggle to pick on him because they are afraid of him, and he can shut them up with ‘a look’

2. Steve picks Robin up from school to take her to her Family Video shifts so Dustin often tags along, and Stobin gossip the whole time

3. Robin is a BIG foreign films fan. She says art transcends language and Steve makes a joke that he struggles to care even when movies are in English. He took, and passed, French in high school

4. When teamed up and being serious, Steve and Robin give genuinely good advice out that is meaningful and ‘wise’. Theres a lot of fun banter with them in this second chapter, but they’re actually good at giving friendship advice to Dustin.

5. Patrick is genuinely nice, he welcomes Lucas in with open arms and a big wave- and its pissing me off having to hear all this “lucas was bad for leaving them for basketball” shit over again because he WASNT wrong and im annoyed the canon narrative tried to conclude that he was but anyway

6. Eddie makes a point of saying to not get the goths confused with the punks, and that youd learn that the hard way. He adresses his table as “ladies and gentlemen” even though there are no ladies… ‘as far as dustin can tell’

7. Unnamed freak is now apparently named Doug. Gareth is a thief, Jeff is a druid, ‘Doug’ is a barbarian. Mike is a D&D purist and thinks the expansions are pointless but lies to try and impress hellfire

8. FINALLY some outside canon acknowledgment that MIKE is the dm.

Eddie and Mike are described as having that DM gene that makes them captivating storytellers, Mike recounts a campaign to the hellfire table who listen on intently

9. Mike makes the pun “and he said ‘Beholder? I hardly Know’er!’” And the table of absolute dweebs laugh their heads off. Although Dustin is enjoying himself a lot, he thinks it would be better with Lucas

10. Eddies walkman is broken, and states he’d rather listen to Madonna that just silence when Gareth makes a joke.

Dustin offers to fix it and Eddie goes “no thats okay I got it” before repeatedly slamming it against the table.

11. Dustin and Eddie abusive dad bonding time. Dustin tells a story about how he took apart a radio piece by piece, and when Eddie comments that his dad would have ‘beat his ass’ Dustin states that his dad wanted to, but his Moms immediate reaction was to sign him up for science camp.

He states that, even though its not cool to say, he thinks his mom is awesome. A few months after the incident she divorced Dustins dad and moved them back to Hawkins, where she grew up.

12. Eddie made Dustin a metal mixtape to thank him for fixing his amp, with the note “Because man cannot live on Weird Al alone - Eddie”

13. Robin is trying to hit Steve in the head with a paper football while sarcastically scolding him for calling Eddie a ‘freak’

She then accuses him of being jealous of Eddie before hitting Steve square in the forehead with a rubber band

14. Steve and Robin immediately jump to Lucas’ defence, Steve calling “bullshit” on even the possibility of Lucas doing something wrong here.

He says Lucas is dealing with his own things, trying to figure himself out past popularity.

15. Eddie and Jeff are in a screaming match over who the better guitarist is: Tony Iommi or Glenn Tipton, and he’s effectively crawling across the table to yell in Jeff’s face,

Dustin immediately nopes out of that and goes to ask Robin for help, who is talking to ~Vickie~

16. Robin is the mediator in the boys friendship issues and has convinced them to try trust falling to make up again,and demonstrates it with Steve

Shes actually good at it, the boys have a bittersweet bonding moment where they realise theyre all just afraid of being left behind

17. Tension is alleviated when Steve reveals his greatest fear is the cartoon Turbo Teen

19. Eddie seems to have a secret, undiscussable fear of ducks. He says their eyes are enough to cause psychic damage and Dustin nites he looks serious.

So…Eddie has a dark past with a duck

20. More bad dad bonding. Eddie says the only good thing his dad left him was a sense of where the speed traps on highways are, and he notes that Dustin doesn’t mention his dad much.

He cheated on Dustins mom, and now Dustin has pretty much no contact with him.

21. While reassuring Dustin, Eddie admits he is afraid before every single performance. He says he isnt brave, isnt facing his fear- all he knows is that he just loves music more than he is afraid of everything else.

Which makes the master of puppets scene so much worse

22. The nerds at the science fair are also scared of how Eddie looks lmao, people move aside and almost create a path for him and Dustin while looking at Eddie sceptically-

The receptionist mistakes Eddie for Dustins dad also

23. Hes like, really afraid of ducks

24. Being left along for 5 minutes to babysit the duck Frodo, Eddie has amassed a crowd of nerds who he is telling scary stories to in his DM mode

A little girl asks “Mr. Eddie” if he’ll tell them more stories, and he says he will if she nails her presentation

25. Eddie, who was tasked with causing a distraction is dragged out of the hall by 2 guards while he says “Gentleman, if you wanted an excuse to feel my arms you could have just asked”

26. The kids (Lucas, Mike, Dustin) are surprisingly close to Robin! Dustin sees her as the best and most logical person to help them through their issues, and Lucas and Mike talk to her like any other member of the party,

Just some nice post s3 bonding stuff

27. When the party start fighting at the table about Lucas in basketball, Gareth tries to butt in and Eddie scolds him and tells him to keep out of it

Hes not against Lucas being in basketball, and tells Dustin to make up with him

DONE!! And heres some things I couldn’t manage to sum up in the same format, and some pages that I think are nice

[conflictofthemind]

I love the post that took the rounds again a week or two back discussing how much more "being gay" and internalized homophobia is a theme for Will than it is for Mike. It's things like this that make me such a neutral party on the "gay vs bi" debate.

I'll try to word it in a way that makes sense. My real opinion is that Mike's arc with sexuality is a lot more symbolic than it is material. That post does go into a lot of it. For Will, his sexuality is directly brought up by both friends and strangers, and he must ask questions like "will my family disown me for liking another boy" and other things that are basically only about being gay.

For Mike, his arc is wrapped in metaphor - understandably, since he is less visible and his feelings are meant to be a plot twist. But I think even as it's revealed, it will be written differently than Will.

Its like, "how do we explain sexuality in a way that is understandable to every viewer" (Mike) versus "how do we represent a specific experience to the queer community" (Will).

Saying this as a Will fan who also wishes people would understand Will better, I wish people (especially Mike fans who should know better) would understand the scope of Mike's character and how it informs what he does!!

He basically spent the entire last season whisper-screaming for help, but this has still flown everyone heads who still believes his biggest struggles are liking men and not liking El primarily because she is a girl, no deeper reasons here.

Mike's acceptance and/or realization of his sexuality is so wrapped up in other things that are crucial to his character. To the point you can't address one without having the whole house of his personal issues fall apart. It's an arc about personal acceptance - not specifically for liking boys, but for daring to step out of the suburban nuclear family dream, for not rushing to abandon his desires that seem 'childish' to others, knowing that his worth goes past what he can provide. Not feeling inadequate.

His relationship with El not just failing because he is (possibly / probably) unable to reciprocate her attraction but because they are deep down incompatible individuals, beyond sexuality. They don't have much in common. El's power brings out Mike's lack of. Mike is only able to connect with her in situations of danger, when his previously stated mental health crises are triggered, not everyday life.

Disclaimer of course that this is not a hard black and white line, and Will's struggles with his sexuality are also tied into his character flaws. But not in the same magnitude. I also think Mike will face the material reality of his feelings and being gay in the time period, but again, not to the same magnitude as Will's arc emphasizes.

[bylertruth3r]

Mike using his Will voice <33, after s5 ends and they become canon I NEED a book about Byler

Mike being afraid of losing his two favorite people :( , also the fact that they were talking about relationships and Mike brought up Will? (I know this book was written by a Byler) also you can tell Mike is troubled by the fact that he has nothing in common with El

last two pics from here

the party phone call with El and Will, Mike uses his Will voice in the book and he's afraid of losing Will (and El), Dustin mentions all the things in his healthy relationship with Suzie (like having things in common and being honest with each other) and Mike can't relate to that (they spent s3 and s4 lying to each other), El and Mike don't communicate, they're not always honest with each other and they don't have things in common and they don't always have something to talk about as you can clearly see from s3 and the book and he doesn't know what to talk to El about, Mike memorized Will's phone number <33

Mike not wanting to give the phone to Dustin cuz he wanted to talk to his boyfriend more :(

the author considers this book canon

[obsessionatthemoment]

I was recently gifted the Stranger Things coloring book, and naturally, I was looking through it, trying to find a Byler one. I didn't get through the whole book to find out, because I found this little gem, which I am about to post. (It's kind of embarrassing how long I worked on editing this image)

Here's the unedited picture, just in case my slightly unhinged notes are distracting:

(They look a little blurry, and I'm not sure if that will go away when I post it, but hopefully you get the point. I don't know why this happens every time I post an image on Tumblr.)

I love how the unreciprocated romantic feelings with Mileven are visible, even in this coloring book (I hope they can find happiness being just friends in season 5, because they both deserve to be content in their relationship).

I don't know who made this, but it is the official Stranger Things coloring book. Byler is so endgame, that even line art of the characters communicates that, lol.

[vibe-stash]

All the President's Men (1976)

Director: Alan J. Pakula DOP: Gordon Willis Production Design: George Jenkins

[jkparkin]

JSA #3 (DC, January 2025) variant cover by Dustin Nguyen

[henry-fox-biggest-stan]

I have the Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Companion book, I got it in 2018, so here are some fun facts from it

In the party’s dnd charts it says Will’s class is “magic-user” 👀👀 and one of his abilities is “true sight” 👀👀

The first scene written and the first scene filmed are both the dnd game at s1 ep1

Mike supposedly has rainbow blinds in his room (as a reference to E.T since Elliot also has rainbow blinds)

When El throws Lucas against a wall, that was Caleb, not a body double. Apparently he was excited to film without a double and asked for it (he was thrown against a mattress). Called said he had so much fun.

During the scene where El sends the van flying, the duffers said than when they first tried it (without filming) it all went as it was supposed to, it flew the right directions. The first time they filmed, tho, the van fell on top of one of their cameras and destroyed it.

Steve is in his last year of high school (as opposed to Nancy, who is in her second, or Jonathan who is in his first)

Steve plays basketball and baseball. He was supposed to be an asshole and die the first season, but Joe Keery came and gave a bit more depth to Steve’s character.

243 people auditioned to play El

Some of El’s powers include biokinesis, teleportation, and psychometry

Hopper fought in Vietnam 

At first the upside down wasn’t supposed to appear on screen at any moment. We would have heard what happened over walkie talkies or radios.

A demodog is just a teen demogorgon (I think this was explained at the show, but I have seen people say they are different creatures)

Jonathan does cycling, is in the school newspaper, and the photography club

Caleb is very good crying on command

Mike’s bike is the newest because his family has the most money, Dustin begun painting his bike but hasn’t finished it yet, and Lucas has a fluorescent saddle

At first they weren’t allowed to use ghostbusters costumes but they talked to Ivan Reitman and eventually got green light 

Dart was supposed to appear in the first season but they didn’t have enough time

The upside down was originally called the underworld 

Nancy and Jonathan (their relationship) are inspired by David and Jennifer from WarGames (1983). Also by Willie Scott and doctor Jones from Indiana Jones

Bob was supposed to die on ep 4 instead of ep 8

For the scene with Will and Morse code (when he’s tied to a chair) the duffers just told Noah to watch a YouTube video on Morse code the day before 

Talking about Noah, after being possessed and convulsing to the point everyone was amazed with his acting, the moment they stop filming he just gets up and asks for a cup of tea like nothing happened

For the upside down spores they actually used dandelions 

Hopper is repeatedly described as a cowboy lmao

In s1 when the boys dress El up in a wig and a dress and Mike does her makeup, they are dressing her up in their vision of what a girl is

Finn said than it was only halfway through the second episode than Mike realized than El is a real girl, a real person, and not E.T.

The duffers were inspired by the breakfast club for the making of Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve’s characters!!

Nancy played volleyball, was in the cheerleader team (?!?!?!), was in the French club, volunteered at church and did social volunteering, and did a writing workshop

Barb played softball, the clarinet, was part of the Mathematical Olympiads, volunteered at the library, and was a babysitter.

[smashpages]

Sectaurs #1 (Oni Press, October 2024) variant cover by Dustin Weaver